Juubi No Kitsune
by Lady-Kyra21
Summary: She never thought that she would live the day, that she would come to regret joining Fairy Tail. She wished that she'd died nine years ago, wished that she'd never returned from Edolas and wished that she would have died when they had used her body as a vassal. Because if she'd been dead, If she'd never returned, than she wouldn't have to see her family suffer so much.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N; There is nothing as bad as a writer's block, for some reason my muse decided to leave me all alone and wallow in myself pity. **

**Sad...I know and I think that, that is why this story came into being. This specific tale was born a few nights ago, I was in the mood to re-watch Fairy Tail and I was touched by the friendship of Natsu and Lisanna. **

**They were so cute and so close, that I decided to do what Mashima failed to do. Give more depth to the two characters and their friendship. **

**They were really close...A lot closer than Lucy and Natsu are right now, so I wanted to show that two people who had shared so much can't just stop being the best of friends. ****I want to show how beautiful their friendship was and still is, Lisanna and Natsu shared a bond that not many have...And I want to show that it is still there, somewhere.**

**I like Lisanna she is kind and brave as she was willing to stay in a world that wasn't hers because she did not wish to make others sad, not many people are capable of that much self sacrifice. **

**The story takes places roughly two years after the current arc, The beginning might confuse you but as the story goes on the missing pieces will be all added. ****But the thread connecting everything in this story is their friendship, the bond they shared and is nearly forgotten and buried somewhere deep in the two characters.**

* * *

_Date; December X794_

_Location; The Island of Zorro; Underground Facility_

_..._

"I see that you have regained your consciousness...I am glad, we were starting to get a little worried about you."

The soft voice she recognized as the Head Doctors broke through the haze surrounding her mind, pulling the white haired woman from the depths of darkness and back into the world around her.

As she started to regain her consciousness the first thing the young woman felt was nothing.

She realized that the _only_ thing she '_felt_' was numbness. She was numb in every sense off the word, not only was she unable to feel physical pain but for some reason she had lost all emotional awareness. She knew that she was supposed to feel something whether it was the chains cutting into her arms and torso or the blood dripping down her legs.

She knew that there was an emotion she was supposed to feel right now and something told her that it was important...But for the live off her the woman couldn't recall what it was. What was it again? She was supposed to feel something. She was supposed to do something? What was it again? Why couldn't she remember. What was she doing? What had she done? Where was she again?

"XY-324 I know you can hear me." The doctors voice was doing its job in clearing the haze in her mind and drawing the woman back to the waking world. "Will you be able to open your eyes?"

The woman known as Test Subject XY-324 tried to open her eyes with the emphasis on tried, as for some reason the simple gesture was asking a lot more effort than she was willing to give.

"Good girl...You are doing well...Just follow my voice and return to this world?" Though the voice was soft and seemingly gentle one couldn't ignore the warning hidden beneath the surface.

It took her three more tries before she finally managed to open her blue eyes though she was forced to close them again when she was nearly blinded by the bright light shining down on her.

"Ah...I am sorry about that...Do dim the lights? It is bothering her." The doctor said his order was followed by someone moving away and asking whether this was better or not. "Hmm...That will do. Now, why won't you try again?"

XY-324 did as she was told and opened her eyes again and made sure to take her time and allow her eyes to adjust to the light while at the same time taking her surroundings in. It took her few seconds to recognize the room she was in and it took her while longer to realize why and even how she had gotten here.

The Labs.

XY-324 found herself back in the labs and was once again strapped down on the examination table, the white haired mage frowned trying to recall why she was here again.

_Remember...Remember...Remember...What was it...You are supposed to do something, but what was it again? _

"XY-324 do you hear me?"

The woman known as Test Subject XY-324 shifted her blank gaze from the ceiling and towards the Head Doctor, her blue eyes landing on the brown haired male. "What happened to me. What did I do?"

The brown haired doctor sighed softly a look of disappointment flashing across his face before he allowed the smile to grace his features. "You had a relapse my dear. Nothing much just a minor regressing back into the Fox."

The white haired mage frowned knowing that there was something wrong with that sentence, while it was true that she was unable to hold the full capacity off the Kitsune's powers. It was also true that she was capable of keeping herself from shifting into the Fox, just how many tails did she summon?

Five?

No, she would recall what happened if she had entered the Five Tailed state, maybe not fully but she would recall flashes off what she had done while she was in that state.

Seven?

No, if she had summoned seven tails she would destroyed everything around her...She would never risk summoning so many Tails while she was with the others...She wouldn't right?

_Then, why did you?_

God. Why couldn't she recall what had happened. What had forced to enter that state? Why had she risked the safety off the others. Why had she allowed a full Body Takeover?

Her blank gaze shifted from the doctor to the three others surrounding the Examination table and it was only when her eyes fell on the clock behind the blond woman that her mind finally recalled the missing pieces off her memories.

Time.

She needed to drag more time...She needed to make sure that they stayed here with her as long as possible...She had to give her more time...She had to make sure to keep them busy and their attention fixed on her.

_Please...I know you can hear me...I need more power...I need to keep them here...I need to give Rin more time...I need to make sure that they will be unable to realize what is going on. _

It was vague and she could barely hear it as it seemed to be coming from the deepest reaches off her mind but the young woman was certain about hearing the soft sigh.

The white haired woman closed her eyes feeling herself fall back into the darkness and losing all sense off herself.

_Rin...Run...Make it out...I can't give you more than a few minutes but by now...By now I know you are already halfway out._

The last thing XY-324 felt before the Kitsune surfaced and took possession over her body were the emotions known as Hate and Rage. The Fox was filled with so much anger that it seemed to be burning through her skin as it tried to find an out-lit though it was nothing compared to the hate that started to fill her mind in a red haze.

One sentence flashed through her mind before she allowed the darkness to take over and fell into an deep slumber...A state she would stay in as long as the Fox reigned control over her body.

_"Hey... If I disappear again sometime... Will you come and find me...?" _

The young woman would have laughed if she had been aware off the fact that she had managed to produce a tear. She had thought that she had lost her ability to cry. The name off the one person she had once been so close to escaped her lips before the Fox's consciousness surfaced and pushed her back to the deepest parts off her being. "Natsu..."

...

...

Her whisper was so soft that the doctors couldn't even make out whether she had said something or not, as she was gone the second that name had escaped her lips.

The sudden spiking in her magic power startled the doctors surrounding her so much that they jumped back and away from the Examination table. The doctors couldn't help but just stare in shock as their most prized subject fell into the Kitsune state without being forced by outside forces.

Slowly but gradually the Aura off the Fox started to cover Subject XY-324's body like a second skin creating a protective layer that acted as the Fox's last line of defense. It was only after the entire body was covered in the golden/reddish light that the first off many tails started to form slowly spreading from behind the young woman and landing on the ground.

She was here...It was finally happening...She was _finally_ here...The Fox they had been trying to bring back into this world...The woman who had nearly destroyed the world a thousand years ago.

The Immortal Kitsune.

She was here and she was now. He could not wait to share this break through with his master. He had done it. He had finally found someone's body who was compatible with the Ancient Fox. This body would be her new vassal...It was perfect...He had done well in bringing this woman here and forcing the Fox in her body.

The brown haired man was so consumed by his euphoria that he didn't notice the fifth tail forming itself nor did he notice the Kitsune's aura started to glow brightly.

It was something else that drew his attention to the situation at hand and reminded him off the fact, that he didn't have time to celebrate the success off their project. It started soft but the sound of laughter startled everyone in the vicinity. The cold and cruel sound filled the lab before the Fox released a growl that seemed to shake the very foundations off the underground facility.

The growl did what the previous changes had been unable to do and that was force the doctors to move and realize the danger they were facing.

Unlike previous times that the young woman had been fully taken over they were not protected by the magical barrier nor did they had the controller off her choker at hand. Which meant that they could not use the collar to cancel her magic out and force her into a state off magic deficiency.

The white haired woman released a soft sigh before she opened her eyes revealing blood red orbs something that honestly scared the doctors in the room. Subject XY-324 eyes where blue and when she was utilizing the Fox powers her eyes changed into in golden/yellow color. Her eyes had never changed into this glowing demon like red.

She broke the chains holding her down with so much ease that one would think they were made out of carbon instead off the steel they were created from. The white haired woman lifted herself off the Examination table smirking when she smelled the fear radiating from the foolish humans who had woken her from her slumber.

"Now than...What shall I do with the fools who rose me from my slumber?" The Fox asked tilting her head a soft frown marrying her features. "I have so many ideas and so little time to do it in." The Fox sighed as if she was very sorry that she couldn't give any more time than she could spare, she smiled though the gesture was meant to be sweet it was malicious and filled with an intent to kill and would make one suffer in the worst possible way.

"Now than...I believe you have something that is mine and I would like it back?" The Fox said lifting her tails into the air, allowing her magic to seep out off her and into the air around her.

_Tsk as long as they have the Star Ball I can't do much before they force me down, but I can push them back and give her friend a few minutes. _

The Fox closed her eyes before she slammed one off her tails down and through one off the doctors, killing the man before the tail had even touched him. "Ah...I might have over done it a little...It seems human bodies can't handle raw...What was the word? Ah...I think she called it Eternano?"

_You better succeed human...You better bring them here...She is risking her life for you...I hope you realize that. _

The Fox decided to bet everything in one single attack and hope that she would be able to take them all out, without harming her host's body to much. Her tails lifted themselves into the air and though it was invincible to the naked eye, the five tails were slowly but effectively rubbing against each other to create one off her most basic attacks.

Fox Fire.

The Ancient Fox closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them at the same time she released her attack in one lethal blast off pure energy. An attack that was not only heard at the other end of the underground facility but was also felt, as the entire building shook in the after math off the attack.

_You better be long gone...Because I have pushed her body to the limits...Summoning me three times in one day is too much for her mortal body._

* * *

_-Fiore Kingdom; Magnolia Town-_

Rin Zhao stumbled through the streets off Magnolia town and despite being covered in blood and bruises the young woman continued to push herself beyond her limits.

_Fairy Tail...Fairy Tail...Fairy Tail...Fairy Tail...Fairy Tail...Fairy Tail...Fairy Tail._

She had to make sure to tell them...She had to let them know...She had to make sure to rely this piece of information...She had to make sure that they knew what happened all those months ago. Ignoring the pain in her shoulders the green haired woman continued to push her way through the busy streets, her purple eyes were fixed on the castle like building bearing a sign she recognized.

_"It is loud and they always fight but when you need them they will be there for you...Your anger is theirs, your fear will be their fear and what you hold dear will be held dear by them."_

Rin gritted her teeth when she accidently bumped into someone and the hot pain shot through her shoulder, stepping back and without as much as an apology the woman continued her way.

_"It is bright and warm and it is love...It is loud and happy...It is a safe haven...It is Fairy Tail." _

Fighting back the tears that threatened to roll the young woman continued her trek towards the Guild that was known as Fiore's strongest.

_"Neh, Rin? When I find a way out of this, why won't you join? I would like it for you to come with me. Oh, Saizo and Vincent can join to."_

The green haired Mage felt herself losing more and more off her strength, it seemed that with every step she got closer to the building she was also losing a bit of her determination. It wasn't until she saw, that the building was finally in sight that her knees finally gave out, a soft gasp escaped her as she tumbled down towards the ground. "No...I am so close...Please...Just a little bit longer."

Rin hissed when she hit the ground and felt the sharp pain rocketing through her body, purple eyes burned and despite her best efforts a few tears leaked out off her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.

_"We have to get her out of here...I don't care about the others but she has to get out of here." The dark haired man said his green eyes fixed on the sleeping woman. "They are using her emotions and memories as seals for those tails, it won't take long before she is fully gone and becomes the Fox."_

Taking a deep breath Rin forced herself up to her legs she was so close...The Building was in sight all she had to do was take a few more steps...A few more feet and she would have made it.

_"I don't care how you do it and I don't care who you have to kill, just get her Guild here. I am counting on you Rin." _

Rin's legs shook under the pressure of holding her weight, but she ignored it and pushed herself to continue.

_I am almost there...Just a little more...Just wait for me...I will make sure to make it...Don't worry guys...Your faith in me, won't be in vain. _

Where they fighting? The sound coming out the guild was louder than anything she had heard, she could not imagine that someone could be so loud for the heck off it. Five years off being an prisoner and test subject had taught her that silence was the way to go, if you were quite enough people forgot you existed.

The green haired woman hissed when her shoulder protested against the sudden move, but she bit her tongue and pushed open the doors leading into the Guild and stepped inside the place her friend had called home. It must have had something to do with how she appeared, because the minute Rin had stepped inside the Guild was the second all sound ceased.

Rin knew she looked like something the cat dragged in...Something _dead_ the cat had ended up dragging in. Her clothes -_which were more rags than anything else_, were torn and stained with dirt and blood. Her once lush green hair had lost most of its life, rarely seeing the sunlight did that to a person.

Rin was also aware off all her wounds, with the worst ones being the bruises on her arms and legs. The slash on her side that was starting to burn again and the thumbing in her head was getting louder with the second. Despite her own appearance and the frozen looks on the Mages faces, Rin found herself smiling taking a step towards the nearest mages. "I made it...I finally found you..."

Her soft whisper seemed to get some reaction out of the Mages present, but they froze when they saw the tears streaming down her face wondering just what had happened to her to cause her to cry and smile at the same time. "Isn't that great Lisanna...I found them." The green haired woman took another step forwards before she felt herself falling into the darkness. "I finally found them-"

The last thing Rin saw before she allowed herself to give in to the pain and exhaustion, were the shocked expression flashing across the members of the Guild's faces.

* * *

**A/N; A story that was born by re-watching the Edolas arc, I truly think that Lisanna deserves a little more love and it is unfair how the majority of this fandom treats her.**

**Like she is standing in the way of their o so precious NaLu, for god's sake I am sick and tired off all those Lucy gets kicked out and Lisanna replaces her fan fics, be original people. ****If there is anyone who was replaced it was Lisanna and she is taking it like a Man, I like Lucy and she is a great character.**

**I just don't like the whole NaLu pairing, they are great as friends and partners . Why can't people be happy with that? ****Must we pair everyone with everyone? Just because two people are the main characters does not mean they have to be a couple, I hate how Lucy is defined as Natsu's love.**

**Anyway rant aside, tell me what you think I am open for feedback and any tips. Whether to continue this story or not, as it was merely born due to a major writers block. ****No, Lisanna bashing reviews please, you don't like this pairing kindly leave without saying a word. Thank you very much.**


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N; I am sorry for the very long wait, but life has sadly been very hectic (it has been a very busy year for me so far) which didn't give me much time to take it easy and relax, let alone concentrate on my stories. _

_Now that I have apologized and given the reason as to why you all had to wait this long, I will now humbly thank you for the loving reviews, alerts and favorites. I did not expect such a positive response. Lisanna is not really that well liked and I am glad to see that there are people who realize how unfairly she is being treated, I promise to do her as much justice as I can and without bashing any other character._

_Fairy Tail is one of the few anime's were I like all the members, which also includes Lucy (though I hate how Mashima portrays her as just fan service) she used to be more than that. The Anime is about family, friends and bonds and actually finding a place one can call home. That is what I have gotten out it (But I might be wrong, it could be just about NaLu and nothing else)_

_Half a rant aside..._

_I hope you all enjoy the second chapter, I hereby apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes or Oocness of the characters (Lisanna will be out of character, the reason is explained in this chapter)_

_And now without further ado, _

_The chapter..._

* * *

_Date and Place; December X794, The Island of Zorro_

_Location; Underground Research and detention facility._

...

...

It has been just over a year, almost two to be precise, since he had lured _XY-324_ into that trap and only seven months since she'd became the Container for the ancient Fox.

Doctor Ackerman's eyes were fixed on the Lacrima Screen replaying the events off three days ago, once again astonished by the sheer power the Ancient Fox seemed to hold. "It won't be long now."

Just a few more tests runs and a few more forceful extraction and the Immortal Fox would take full ownership over her Hosts body consuming Subject XY-324's soul in the process eventually killing her. It had taken him ten years in finding the perfect host and hundreds of failed experiments before he had finally found the one who had not only survived the Ritual (_Insertion_) but also became the most compatible.

Ackerman had chosen XY-324 not only because she could use Take Over Magic but also because she had mastered her ability and was one of the few people who could chain various Takeovers instantly. Something that was needed if one wanted to summon the multiple Tails of the Fox, because contrary to their initial thought her Tails were in fact separate entities of her entire being and thus had to be viewed as such.

Each Tail would count as an entire Takeover which meant that the only way to summon multiple ones would be by instantly chaining them together, something which is considered to be a high level Takeover skill (_Well that was if they believed one of their previous subjects who had been able to use said magic_) and not something many people could do.

It had been a combination of luck and fortunate events that had led him to that remote Town and brought him on her trail. He had instantly recognized her as one of Fairy Tail's Takeover siblings. He had decided in that moment that she would be perfect for their project and had taken all of the necessary steps in making sure that her Guild wouldn't come after her...At least not right away.

Fairy Tail was after all famous for their habit of tearing through anyone or anything that had harmed one of their own. But he had made certain that they wouldn't come and wouldn't even find a lead. Ackerman smirked as he leaned back in his chair keeping his gaze fixed on the Lacrima screen, his brown eyes catching the moment the Immortal Fox slammed her tail through his colleague Lewis.

And how could they?

_That_ town was not stupid enough to help that Guild not when they were just as Guilty as him, in exchange for their own freedom and safety they had willingly brought him the Takeover mage. Despite a few setbacks in capturing her, his plan had been successful and he had finally found the one who was destined to host the Immortal Fox and would function as her newest corporal body.

Soon.

It wouldn't be long before she would be fully part of this world...All they had to do was be patient and allow her to fully consume the soul that was currently sharing her body. "Soon...Very soon." Ackerman closed his eyes his smirk widening as he imagined all the power they would hold, as long as he held on to her precious Star Ball the Fox would be forced to their bidding...She was theirs.

* * *

_Location; Underground Research and Detention facility (Cell Block C4)_

.

.

.

There was no light.

There was never any real light down here, that had been the first thing that Lisanna had noticed when she was transferred to this facility _and_ the only thing that still really manage to bother her.

_It's almost as if there isn't a world out there...As if the sun and the sky...As if my siblings and fairy Tail merely exist in my mind...A dream created to cope with life in this dungeon...Is there even one? _

Was there a world beyond these walls? Sometimes Lisanna thought that there was one, and at times she didn't really believe in anything beyond the Tests and the Death Games...In anything beyond her prison or beyond this Island.

The Host of the Immortal Fox sighed softly pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms loosely around her shins, once bright blue eyes swept over the dark cell that was now her new home.

It was a sore sight.

Though the Cell block was big it wasn't meant for so many people, her eyes went over the various forms of the other Prisoners sharing the Cell with her and noticed that they were missing a few. Lisanna tilted one delicate eyebrow when she realized that they were probably dead by now, they were taken yesterday and it was a common known fact, that if one did not return they were dead.

Something close to pain, sadness and self loathing flashed though her eyes, before it was gone and replaced by the blank and somewhat lost glint that usually filled her blue colored eyes. "I hate me." The words weren't uttered loud as they were only mouthed, but Lisanna needed the physical effort to make it more real and moving ones mouth to say something was always worse than thinking it. She truly hated herself..._Hated_ what she had become.

_How far must I have fallen, that it doesn't hurt me anymore...That the deaths of others doesn't bother me anymore but that I view it as something normal...As expected of this place...When-_

Not wanting to think about it, Lisanna cut her own thoughts short and forced her eyes away from the huddled up bodies and focused on the small opening that was used as an air vent for the cell Block. The opening was so small that one could barely fit their hand between the opening, let alone squeeze themselves through it in hopes of getting out of here and finding freedom on the other side.

Someone had tried it before and had to pay the price by losing an hand, it seemed that he had accidently triggered one of the many magical sensors that seemed to be dominating this facility.

_Magical sensors...Magical Collars that can also functions as Bomb collars...Heavy armed Guards and Mad Scientists...Tributes and Death Games...Is this how my daily life has come to look like?_

What a sad and meaningless way to live. Lisanna sighed resting her head against the cold wall and focused on the small opening, her mind wandered and it didn't take her long for her mind to fall on the subject of the world outside.

_It's December, I think...I wonder if it is snowing and whether Christmas has already passed or not, I wonder how Mira-nee, Elf-nii-chan and the others are doing...I hope they have bought a tree. _

She frowned as she asked herself whether her siblings would have been able to survive losing her for a second time or if they had given up on everything...She hoped not...It would really kill her.

_It was May last year when they brought me to the old facility and it was somewhere in January this year when they brought me here...It's December now, that's what? 19 months? Doesn't matter, it's almost two__ years in total, they should have given up searching for her by now. She hoped that they had stopped searching._

Lisanna's blue eyes shifted towards ceiling and like every single night, she prayed to any god that might be out there and listening to her, to listen to her prayer and grant her very selfish wish.

That they would _never_ come for her.

_I just want them to forget about me and just continue with their lives...Because the Lisanna they are searching for will not be the Lisanna they will find...__**Their**__ Lisanna is long gone and already dead. _

How pathetic.

Blue eyes fluttered close a bitter smile gracing her features, it was a look that used to be very foreign to the young woman...Lisanna greatest strength has always been her ability to always be optimistic. There was a time where she could smile through everything, it was even rare for her to cry as she always had made sure to be one that stayed optimistic and would lift everyone's spirits up.

_Shedding tears for myself was very rare, I can only think of one instance when I have cried for just myself...Edolas...When I decided to stay in that world, for Mira-nee and Elf-nii-chan._

But the Lisanna right now? The one who became the host of an Immortal Fox? The woman who was used as a vessel and seen as subject...A means to an end and would be used to destroy the world as mankind knew it? This Lisanna was someone else. This Lisanna was _something_ else. This Lisanna was the host of an very ancient and very angry Fox and this Lisanna would slowly but surely seize to exist in this world.

Not, that it mattered. Whether she was present in this body or not, it all came down to the same little thing...The _old_ Lisanna barely existed in this body and the _new_ Lisanna was slowly disappearing to.

So, what difference does it make?

_I __**am **__already dead...A mere shell of the person, I used to be...I can hardly bring up the effort to smile or even try to reassure the other prisoners...It's costing more and more energy to just be positive. _

A Lisanna who has forgotten how it feels to be just happy, a Lisanna has to always remind herself to just feel. A Lisanna who can barely smile. A Lisanna like _that_ has no place in the world of Fairy Tail.

So, why return?

_There is no way they could accept me the way I am...I can't even accept the way I am...If they realized that I have nearly lost the ability to smile...That feeling something costs me more energy than feeling nothing...If they realize just what it that I have become, they would...They would..._

They would be devastated.

_I can't live with that...I can't bear the thought of them feeling sorry for me... if I have to see Mira-nee or Elf-nii-chan look at me like I am broken, I would end up, hating them...And I don't want that. _

The sad thing was that she _was_ broken...She was shattered...Was she broken beyond repair? Lisanna didn't think so...She was still capable of feeling...It was vague at times but it was there.

_So, when did this near complete numbness start? Exactly when did I become this person, that I hate? Stopped being just me? Stopped recognizing myself? _

Sigh.

She didn't know when it had really started only that it _was_ happening, it was becoming a struggle for her to stay positive and try to be happy for everyone else's sake and easing their fears and worries.

It made sense actually.

How can one smile for others if they are unable to recall how to smile without effort? How can one stay positive, if they have forgotten how that even feels? Be happy, if you don't know what that is? There was no way that someone could achieve that.

_I am becoming numb to almost all emotions but anger, hate and vengeance, and there is nothing I can do about it, it is a slow process... A very slow process, Thank god...But, but it is happening. _

If it wasn't for the presence of Saizo who somehow had become her anchor and the existence of Rin and the ever so cheerful Vincent, Lisanna would have lost all sense of emotions the _minute_ the Fox was placed in her body.

_If it wasn't for their friendship... If they hadn't supported me through the insertion of the Fox's soul and all those tests, I would have given up a very long time ago..Even if it was just for the pain to stop. _

It was why Lisanna was both grateful and very scared that she had met them, it was _because_ she valued them so much...It was because she relied on them so much, that she could not help but think.

_What would I do, if I lost them? _

Lisanna sighed softly she hated when that thought popped up and she always tried to force it back the far reaches of her mind...But when she was up at night or found herself on her own, it came up.

What _would_ she do?

The white haired woman frowned in thought mulling over that thought, it was a good question and instead of an answer, it were just more questions that ended popping up and filling her mind.

Always the same set of questions.

_Would I give into your Anger and Hate? Allow despair to consume me? Would I become, a second you? Or would I __**become**__ you? _

The Fox sharing her body didn't respond to her question and Lisanna hadn't really expected her to, the immortal woman dwelled so far in her being that Lisanna always had a hard time reaching her.

_Was it a mistake to use Saizo's presence as a way to ground myself? Would I lose all sense of me, if he isn't here to remind me of who I am? What would happen to us, if we lost them? _

Still the Fox did not respond.

The white haired mage's blue eyes fluttered open and shifted their gaze towards her left, lost blue eyes landing on the dark haired male sitting next to her and sleeping against the cold stone wall.

_You should not think of what would happen if you lost them...Just be glad that they are here, that I can call them my friends..._

Lisanna took comfort in listing to his soft breathing and just watched him sleep for several moments, realizing not for the first time that when he was sleeping Saizo always lost his usual stoic expression.

_He is cute when he is sleeping...He would kill me for saying it, but he should really stop being so tense all the time and relax a little._

She smiled when she realized that she had been watching the Devil Slayer for several minutes now, if it had been the other way around (which was how it usually went) she would have called him a very creepy man.

_You always look out for me...Despite the fact that I am the one to blame for your capture, you have not once blamed me...Instead of hating me you became a friend...Thank you, Saizo...Thank you._

Lisanna shifted her head a little and continued to watch him sleep, his even breathing working as a healing balsam that helped ease her mind by taking away the stress she felt and calming her soul.

.

.

"Come here Lisanna." The sudden soft voice broke through her train of thoughts drawing her attention back to Saizo who was still sitting with his eyes closed. "You can use my shoulder as a pillow."

_I should have known that he would have sensed my eyes on him._

The white haired mage moved a little making sure to mind the blond male sleeping on her other side and rested her head against the shoulder of her friend. she was quite for a little while before she opened her mouth and asked her question. "Saizo? Can I ask you something?"

He didn't say anything but he did shift his head to face the woman leaning against him, his green eyes telling her to ask whatever it was that was bothering her and keeping her up at this hour.

"Do you think Rin made it out? That she is safe?" Lisanna whispered minding the other prisoners who were still sleeping but most of all the blond male lying on the ground to her right. "She's alive right?"

The Lightning Mage sighed softly his green gaze shifting away from his partner and towards the Iron Gates sealing them in. "It's Rin we are talking about. One of the strongest Earth Mages around."

Lisanna smiled hearing someone else say it was so much more comforting, he was right. It was Rin they were talking about and she was one of the strongest people she knew. "That is true...It's Rin."

"Try to get some sleep Lisanna, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Saizo said resting his head against the stone wall and closing his eyes. "And you will need your strength...We all do."

Lisanna sighed softly covering her lap with the green blanket making sure to leave some for Vincent to use before making herself comfortable...Or as comfortable as possible. "Good night, Saizo."

"Night."

Knowing that Saizo was right and that she did need all her strength tomorrow, Lisanna closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep. She had to be well rested or she would not survive the day. The Gladiator Games or as they were known down here, the Death Games started tomorrow and without Rin, their four man team was short with one member.

Something that placed them at an disadvantage.

Lisanna's breathing even out, her mind slowly giving into the Fog of sleep, the last thoughts that drifted through her mind before the sleep took over, where filled with her friend and her safety. A gentle prayer before the exhausted woman finally gave into a well needed rest.

_Please be safe Rin...Don't come back for us...Go some place far and build a life, you deserve it. _

* * *

**A/N; And that concludes the second chapter, I hope you all like it and that it was worth the wait. I know that there are a few OC and only a few of them are very important for the plot. ****I promise I will reveal more of the Fox's past in the upcoming chapters and I will probably use some flashbacks for the ritual that had taken place.**

**Also will learn more about, Saizo, Rin and Vincent as they like the Fox are here to stay. I am still debating what to call the Kitsune but if you have some idea's you can share them with me. **

**Please tell me what you think of the chapter or whether you just like it, flames regarding the character Lisanna will not be accepted any or all tips or feedback (if brought in a polite way will be accepted) ****That aside, I hope to see you all in the next installment of Juubi No Kitsune (Ten Tailed Fox) which hopefully won't take that long.**

**Thank you for reading, **

**Lady-kyra21. **


	3. Chapter 3

_First I want to apologize for the very late update, but sadly 2014 was both a busy and very bad year for me. I had a lot of up and downs all which I am glad I managed to put behind me and focus on this brand new year, one that has been very good to me so far. _

_I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed, liked or just read this little work of mine. Every little click and review made me very happy. So, without further ado I present you the third chapter of Juubi No Kitsune. __Be warned, this is my longest chapter yet and it was originally even longer this, that I decided to cut the chapter in half and post in two parts. Please, tell me if the length isn't working, I will try to change it into three parts then._

_Before we start the chapter I wanted to say that I changed the time/year this is taking place. I was at first planning to base my timeline on the events after the Grand Magic games and the Tartarus arc. But, now that Mashima has decided to jump one year in the timeline, the timeline I created won't make much sense. _

_Especially if I want to incorporate the current events in some way, so I decided to change my initial timeline meaning that instead of two years after the Grand Magic games and the Tartarus arc, it's two years after the current arc. _

_I will change the year in the two previous chapters, from X793 to X794. _

* * *

_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro._

_Location; Maximus Coliseum;_

.

.

The huge coliseum was filled with the cheering of the few thousand spectators all eager for the blood that would flow, screams that would be heard and the more than obvious deaths that would fall. The eyes hidden behind the various Carnival Masks were all fixed on the circular platform in the center off the Ancient Arena.

All wondering who of the Hundred teams would be fighting first.

"Welcome back visitors and fellow citizens, to another interesting and bloody Magic Gladiators." The commentator's voice boomed through the speakers."And what a battle it will be, right Remy?"

The thousand plus masked spectators quieted down all eagerly waiting for Remy to tell them what the battle of today would hold and if it would manage to surpass the awful bloodbath of Yesterday.

"Indeed it will, Paul. It's after all a battle between the Ravagers and team Olympic." Remy's voice echoed through the Arena. "But do you know what makes this battle one, worthy of the books?"

"Hmm...I know, but why won't you share it with those that don't?"

Remy's laugh was heard over the speaker, the Lacrima showing the red haired commentator. "Well ladies and gentleman, it has finally happened. For the first time in over a year, Olympic is down a member. It would seem that Gaea, won't be participating today." That unexpected announcement was followed by ear shattering roar of the crowd and if one didn't know any better they would think that they wanted Team Olympic to lose today's match.

It was in fact the complete opposite.

Team Olympic was one of the favorites in the Games, a team known for their seamless teamwork , sheer power and brutal way of destroying everything and everyone standing in their way to victory.

"Ah...It seems they just became even more excited, shall we than announce today's matches?" Paul asked facing his partner in crime who nodded all pumped up for today's matches. "Then if you will?"

"With pleasure." The red haired male grinned leaning towards his mic, his green eyes filling with excitement. "Alright then, without further ado we present you the eight teams of today games."

The crowd seemed to be holding their breath, literary leaning forwards almost sitting on the edge of their seats and facing the Lacrima screens that would show the various teams fighting against who.

"First we have Olympic VS Ravagers in a match to dead and right after them we have the seductive Team Succubus VS Calamity. "

"Followed by one of the favorites of last month, Legionary VS Jabberwocky and finally but defiantly not least it's Wolf Pack against newcomer White Tiger." Paul completed the list of first competitors.

The already exited crowd went wild, their cheering and chants seemingly shaking the coliseum and carrying all the way towards the Facility hosting and funding the Games with more than just money.

"Alright, I think we let you all wait long enough." In response to Remy's comment the crowd cheered in full agreement. "We thought so, ladies and gentleman we bring you the one and only team Olympic."

At the announcement that the favorites of the entire Death Games were ready to take the bloody battle stage, the crowd managed to break its previous record and actually break the sound barrier.

"The Charming _Neptune_. " In response to the announcement the Iron gates opened allowing a blond male to step out into the sun and into the embrace of the screaming bloodthirsty spectators , he lifted his hand in greeting.

"The Mysterious _Jupiter_." The leader of the team followed under the howling of his fans, unlike his team mate the dark haired man had never bothered himself with amusing anyone and thus just made his way towards the ring.

"And last but not least, The beautiful _Hecate_." The thousand plus crowd went wild jumping up when a white haired women stepped through the gates, she had barely taken two steps or the crowd started to chant her name over and over again.

"And that concludes Olympic introduction." Remy managed to be heard over the crowd, the Lacrima screen revealing the grinning red head. "Which means that we're more than ready for the Ravagers."

His brown haired partner was seen nodding on the screen before the image changed, showing the Iron Gates located on the left side of the ring. "Ladies and gentleman...We bring you the Ravagers."

"First up we have the women who can rival Hecate in terms of beauty, the alluring Viper." Remy started his gaze like everyone else in the Coliseum fixed on the Gates hiding the opposing team. The Iron Gates opened under the roar of the crowd revealing a blond women, whom seemed to be enjoying the attention of her many fans, and made sure to take her time by prolonging this moment.

"Ah...As always Viper knows how to make an entrance." Paul said enjoying the moments just as much as the women walking towards the centre ring. "Next up we have The _Butcher_ -Butch for his friends-" The roar was heard before the insane giant had even stepped in the range of the Lacrima screen, it took a few seconds but finally the screen revealed the owner of that rage filled roar. A bald and very scarred man, whom seemed to be stomping as opposed to actual walking.

"Wow...As always he scares me. That aside and as Butcher makes his leisured pace towards the battle ring, the fine gentleman whom is following is the oh so handsome but cruel Eduardo." The handsome male stepped out into the sunlight making his way towards the battle ring as if he owned the place, he took a moment to flip his navy blue hair and send his fans a few kiss hands.

The effect was instantaneous.

Squeals...Deafening...Earth shattering squeals erupting from the throats of a few hundred dozen women and men and those squeals seemed to increase in volume until it could actually shatter glass.

"Barely noon and I am already in need of a drink." Paul said raising his voice in hopes to be heard over the squealing fans going wild in Eduardo's presence. "Well...That leaves only Ravager himself."

The Dark haired male and leader of the Ravagers stepped through the gates under the loud applause and cheers of the crowd, the tall man smirked lifting his hand in greeting. "Ready for a death match?"

Thousand plus blood thirsty masked spectators leaped up collectively showing their excitement and desire for one bloody, long and very deadly match, their joyful chants carried on the ocean breeze.

* * *

It was only because everyone was so fixated on the contestants that they failed to notice the small group, one that seemed to be out of place as they unlike their fellow spectators weren't cheering.

Hecate.

Was that what they called her in this place? Was _this_ what she had to go through for the last year and a half? He had seen the battle of Yesterday and it had been by far one of the most disturbing things he had seen in his life. Prisoners...No, that wasn't right, each and every single one of these people were slaves. Slaves that existed for the pleasure and amusement of others.

Slaves that were forced to fight and then kill each other.

How could that damn council miss this? How could he have not tried harder? Why had they given up when they hadn't found a trace of her? Why had they believed that the burned body they had found, had been Lisanna's? (Oh...He would never forgive that damn town for lying to them, he would..._They_ would make sure that they paid for their involvement in her disappearance.)

The salmon haired male gritted his teeth, wondering just how this could happen again. Why was it that he had once again failed her? Why was it that the one person he had promised to always find, always tended to disappear from his sight?

Onyx eyes fixed their gaze on the white haired women standing next to her team mates wondering what it was about her that he found so unsettling. There was something about her, something that wasn't quite right. He just couldn't pinpoint what it was, just what was it that was bothering him? She looked like Lisanna and there seemed to be nothing wrong with her scent, because even above all these smells he managed to catch a whiff of her unique scent.

Underneath the dirt, dust and soil clinging to her skin, Natsu managed to catch that scent that had been so uniquely her. The one that had told him right away that she had been Lisanna when he had found her in Edolas.

The one that reminded him of Spring, Lisanna as always smelled like fresh leaves, morning dew and rain on a fresh flowery field and under that? There was something else lying under the surface of her scent, something old?

Yes. It was something _very_ old.

Was he smelling the Demon that now shared her body? The one Rin warned them about? Was that what he found so unsettling about her? No. According to Rin the demon tended to be asleep and rarely stirred, only doing so when Lisanna was at her limit or when the Demon felt threatened. Right now, the one standing in the Ring was Lisanna and just Lisanna.

It was something else. Something that worried him beyond the Demon possession, something about the way she held herself was just so..._Not_ Lisanna...At least not the one he had come to known. He sighed feeling a headache coming up. Damned. If only he could get a good look at her, maybe just maybe he would be able to find what it was that was bothering him.

Lisanna shifted.

Did she hear his thoughts? It almost seemed that she did, because for the first time since she had stepped out in the Arena the women known as Hecate lifted her head, allowing the Lacrima screen to finally project her face.

He could hear a soft gasp coming somewhere from his left, but he didn't bother to turn around and see who'd made that sound. Instead he kept his eyes fixed on the Lacrima screen projecting the white haired women.

Hecate _was_ beautiful and months of captivity did nothing to lessen that fact, her long white hair had lost most of its shine and it seemed that she had lost some weight, but it wasn't that, what had caused the group to almost flinch away from her.

It were her eyes.

Lisanna's eyes which had once been so bright and vibrant, so full of life and love where now reduced to this tired? Yes. Her blue eyes had lost all sense of life and were now projecting a cold and lifeless look.

The masked figure clenched his fist trying to not only contain his rage but also to tamper his Magic, they could not afford to be caught not now that they were so close to finally getting her back. "Tsk...Unforgivable...This is unforgivable..."

Onyx eyes narrowed when he saw her turn around, her blue eyes flickering with some emotion before the Lacrima screen projecting something else. _What was that...I am certain her eyes reflected something..._

The Salmon haired male froze when she faced his general direction and for a single moment in time their eyes met, he wasn't close enough to see what kind of emotions were flickering in her eyes, but he caught the frown marrying her features. "Lisanna..."

It was almost as if she was responding to him again, because for a second he thought she would have moved towards him before she stopped herself, a move that hadn't gone unnoticed by either of her teammates, both who send her a worried look. Well one did, the blond as the black haired male merely tilted an eyebrow.

Natsu watched Lisanna shake her head sending both a small smile trying to reassure them that she was fine, from what Natsu could tell they didn't seem to belief her but decided to drop the matter for her sake. Lisanna's eyes lifted once again sweeping their gaze over the stands before focusing her attention on the opposing team and moving into position, waiting for the battle to start.

_Does she know we are here?_

It sounded ridiculous, he knew that because there was no way for her to tell, they were all wearing those damn annoying mask and were in the middle of a crowd that counted a thousand plus people.

Natsu gritted his teeth as he listened to the commentators explain the rules again, as 'always' the fight was set for thirty minutes in which one had to fully incapacitate the opposing team. The scoring which was the most disturbing thing Natsu had heard could be considered easy and straight forward.

Every single member of the team was worth fifty points and the only way to get the full score was by killing them, leaving your opponent unconscious and alive would only get you twenty five points. It was morally a good thing but for most participating in the games it meant nothing as the only way to rise in the ranks and thus get privileges was by collecting the full which meant kill your opponent.

Exactly 15 minutes in the battle the War Beasts would be released, whom would attack anyone indiscriminately forcing those that were still standing to fight each-other and the War Beasts. Yes, that was plural meaning more than one.

He honestly didn't want to know what those beasts were capable off, but judging by the reaction of everyone around him it couldn't be good. Add those beasts to the hidden traps that would activate randomly _not_ because of some mechanism as someone would expect but due to either a time limit or someone had stepped on it a number of times and thus activating it and this would be a very harsh battle.

Not to say very merciless.

Natsu watched Lisanna and her teammates move in front of an opponent of the opposite team, and he briefly wondered whether he could actually sit and watch her fight, this wasn't the Grand Magic Games where there were rules the most important one being not _killing_ your opponent. Nor was this any of their previous battles, where if one of them was in trouble they could always step in and help.

This was different.

He would have to stand still and watch, something he knew he would be unable to do. He trusted Lisanna and he knew she was strong, he knew that she was one of the best Take-Over mages in the world, there weren't many people who could chain various souls together as fast as she could. In that aspect alone, Lisanna was better than either of her siblings.

So, she was strong.

That did not mean, that he could or even would watch her fight a battle to the death. He looked up when he felt a soft hand grab a hold of his, onyx eyes shifted towards his left landing on his friend and partner. "Don't worry Lucy, Lisanna is strong, she'll win this for sure and we will take her back home. They won't get away with this."

The blond smiled half heartily her eyes hardening at the promise of letting hell lose on those that dared to hurt their family. "I know...We will get her back home."

Natsu's onyx eyes shifted back towards the battle ring, anxiously waiting for this battle to start, because the moment that Gong would sound would be the moment their friends would break into the underground Facility and reclaim the Fox's Star Ball and it would be only after they succeeded, that they could get Lisanna out of here.

According to Rin that Star Ball was a part of the Fox's soul, anyone that had it could control the demon and because the Demon was sealed in Lisanna, it meant that they could force Lisanna to do their bidding. They would have destroyed it, if it hadn't meant that there was a chance they would end up killing Lisanna with it.

That had been a risk no one was willing to take.

So, they decided to steal the Star Ball and give it back to Lisanna, not even Master Makarov wanted to have such power over someone he considered to be a daughter. Now all they could do was be patient, be patient and bear to watch someone they loved fight for their life. "...If she is in danger of dying...I..."

"We all will jump in, attack and damn the consequences."

He smirked no matter what would happen today, Lisanna would come home. He loved Fairy Tail but it wasn't the same without her. He had lost her once and hadn't really recovered from his loss until he'd met Lucy who in a way had reminded him so much of his friend. And it had been pure luck, that led them to Edolas. It was there, that he'd found her alive and well.

Natsu knew what a blessing it'd been, how lucky he and Fairy Tail were to have someone that had 'died' returned to them, it was why her second death had hit them all with the force of a sledge hammer. And now, they were blessed once again...They managed to find a lead to the mystery surrounding that day and they had found her.

Onyx eyes narrowed both in anger and sheer determination, it wouldn't happen again. Something like this, would never happen again. There was no way, he was willing to go through this turmoil for a third time. Now, that he'd found her, Natsu wasn't planning to let her out of his sight...Ever again.

"Alright Gladiators...Get ready...On your mark...And fight." Paul's cheerful announcement was followed by a gong signaling the beginning of this death match between Olympic and Ravagers.

Both teams moved even before the gong's ring had ended clashing under the loud cheers of the their spectators and started the so called match worthy of the History books.

* * *

This wasn't bloody.

No the match that had started fairly well with the two teams almost evenly matched, escalated into a battle that seemed to have come straight out of hell, as neither team gave an inch giving it their all. The sounds of battle filled the air, as weapons clashed and different forms of magic collided with each other. Though one team was in an 'disadvantage' with being down one member, while the other team was at full force _and_ using every weapon and trick at their disposal.

Olympic wasn't given an inch, if anything it seemed that they were the ones slightly pushing the opposition back.

Lisanna and her opponent were engaged in an intense hand to hand combat, neither was willing to give the other even an inch refusing to be the first to drop down and be the one to face the consequences of their Sponsors and be either fed to the beasts or worse, be killed and than be forced to reborn as something not fully human.

Blue eyes flashed when she sensed the tell tale sign of magic in the air, she threw herself backwards a move that allowed her to evade the explosion but one that also caused her to stumble and collapse on the ground. Butcher didn't give her even a second to recover as his hand was already encased with his blast magic and leaping after her slamming his large fist down on the petite women, who was still on the ground.

Lisanna's body twisted grabbing a hold of some of the grind and sand lying on the ground throwing it into his face using his momentarily distraction to push herself back to her feet and out of his direct line of fire.

"Dirt in your opponents eyes, that is very low."

The white haired women tilted an eyebrow looking both insulted and annoyed, her blue eyes narrowed facing the Giant standing a couple feet away. "I don't want to be told that, by likes of you."

Butcher growled in annoyance moving his hand in front of him once again activating his destructive magic and sending three different purple orbs towards the one hosting the immortal Demon Fox.

Lisanna's eyes widened, jumping out of the way of the attack surprising him when she moved towards him as opposed to away from him and his magic, Butcher growled sending more and more blasts of magic her way all Lisanna managed to evade quite well.

"Damned.." Butcher moved both hands in front of him increasing the number of explosions he was sending her way in hopes to finally get the women down and allow him to finish her off. 'Fuck you."

She continued to move between the different explosions forcing Butcher to momentarily abandon that strategy and face her head on, meeting Lisanna in a powerfull clash of their fists slamming together. The power they put in their fists was easily detectable as the very ground behind both mages shook, lifting both dust and grind of the ground. "...Damned...You are one annoying bastard...Just stay down."

"Huh... The feeling is mutual, so why won't _you_ stay down." Butcher snapped sending a fist towards her face, a fist she easily blocked with her upper arm, while at the same time countering it with an attack of her own.

Lisanna sighed knowing that he was right and that both of them couldn't afford to give anything less than their best, while it was true that she would most probably not be punished, her team mates would have to receive her punishment _for_ her. It sucked being the prized possession of mad scientists, a dark underground guild and some rich bastards who had too much money at their hands. "Well it seems that we have reached a stalemate."

"For now, but the one to come on top will be me."

Those words seemed to mark the beginning of their third round of intense hand to hand combat, as both Mages kept coming back at each other slamming their fists, elbows, knees and feet in various parts of their opponents body. It looked painful and very tiring, something both Mages would agree on. It was for that reason that both of them jumped back and away from each other, accessing the situation and decide what to do next.

.

.

The Giant of the Ravagers was the first to make a move, as he charged in with a combo of punches and kicks that his opponent managed to either evade or block with ease, it was for that reason that Butcher tried for a sweeping kick hoping the get the women off balance. It didn't work as she easily evaded that by jumping into the air, a move Butcher had probably counted on as he leaped after her grabbing her legs and slamming her back down towards the ground.

Lisanna crashed into the ground wincing only slightly before forcing herself to roll out of the way evading the drop kick he had been planning to hit her with. She jumped back on her feet, not giving the Giant the time to recover from his failed attack and sending him flying with a devastating kick into the gut.

Butcher rolled over several feet before crashing into one of the back fences surrounding the ring, and lied there without moving. "...Ah...Damned that bastard gotten a good hit in, that actually hurt."

Sigh.

The women known as Hecate in the ring shifted her gaze towards her teammates, finding her partner a few feet away engaged in an intense elemental battle with Ravager, while Vincent had his hands full with both Viper and Eduardo.

How in the world did she end up facing Butcher? Just what part of Butcher screamed easy? He was both the biggest and the one considered to be a loose cannon. It was hard to guess what he would do, Butcher was infamous for taking anyone (That included his teammates) and anything in his way (The Arena, the traps and once he managed to attract one of the war beasts) down with him.

Sigh.

_This is annoying...Why do I always get the weird ones? Last month it was one who believed himself to be the Messiah, before that I fought an idiot who thought we were in a play and now this? Why, me?_

Lisanna sensed the air behind her pulse as someone approached her, she immediately dropped herself to her knees allowing the incoming attack to sweep over her head. "Ah...Butcher, you're back?"

The man known as The Butcher (Butch for his friends) growled in annoyance, before he moved in for the kill, fully intending to finally kill this aggravating women. "You fucking bitch, I was never gone."

Lisanna dove to her right rolling over once and pushing herself back to her feet facing her opponent, her blue eyes landing on the gigantic Ax in his right hand. "Oh...That is one very dangerous looking Ax."

_It seems I finally managed, to force him to draw his weapon. Well that is face one, which means we can move on to face two. Make sure he loses his temper a little. And then I can finally end this match and do that without any bloodshed. I hope, I really hope. Please let me end this one without any death's. _

"One that shall be the instrument in your death."

Lisanna tilted her head nodding before allowing the smile to lift her lips, something that seemed to agitate the Giant. "Ah...Is that so? Well, doesn't really matter. I am just glad you are back. I was almost worried about you."

The scarred Giant growled taking offence in those words, cursing her as he charged the women, a move that honestly surprised her as she hadn't been expecting such an immediate reaction. "You.." He gritted his teeth charging the younger women standing several feet away, he could see her blue eyes widened in shock.

Lisanna dove out of the way of the incoming and raging giant, blue eyes not really believing what they where witnessing, was Butcher out of his mind? Who just barrels into their opponent like that?

"You think...You think you _defeated_ me with a _mere_ kick?"

The white haired women moved out of the way of the sweeping attack trying to process just what had angered him so much, all she had said was that she was glad that he was back...Wait...Really?

"You _think_ that is all that one needs to do, to put _me_ down? Don't you fucking insult me."

Wow.

This was honestly going a whole lot easier than she would have thought, how could one mere sentence piss someone off like that? Although her holding her ground against him in a physical combat might have had something to do with it. Her words were probably the nail sealing the coffin shut.

"No one...No one puts me down with one kick."

Lisanna decided not to reply to his comment while she was standing so close to him, just how sensitive could one person be? And, just when did she say that she thought that she had put him down with one kick? How could he derive all that from three little words?

"No one...** No one** and least of all **you**, shall put me down with a mere kick." Butcher yelled in rage his Ax making its way towards the white haired women. "No one, you hear me, you damn women."

Lisanna jumped backwards evading the Ax a move that seemed to do nothing but piss the Giant off even more than he already was. "Ah...My bad...My bad, there is no need to get so upset about it...I am sorry if I offended, didn't mean anything by it."

"You...You little fucking demon...I swear I'll kill you dead."

The white haired women moved to her right in order to evade the first of many slashes and continued to move either backwards or sideways. "Kill me dead? That sounds interesting, though I wonder. How exactly does one kill one dead?"

"Allow me to demonstrate."

Lisanna eyes flashed when he swept the Ax in a downwards spiral, forcing her not only throw herself backwards but also to somersault out of the way of the next barrage of attacks, landing in a crouch several feet away from the Giant. "Ah...Thanks but I really think, I shall pass on that offer."

For someone that big, Butch was fast and quite agile as he leaped towards her for another try, only for the white haired women to evade every single attack of his Axe in a way that made any other wonder whether she was predicting their moves or not. "Damn you women...Slippery as an eel, would you stand still so that I can separate your damn head from the rest of your body?" The bald Giant yelled getting really fed up with the women. "Damned."

Lisanna jumped back in order to evade the blow before facing her opponent with an incredulous expression on her face. "Huh...You are joking right? What kind of person would be alright with that? You know what? Don't answer that."

The Butcher didn't answer her question instead he released an earth shattering growl before lounging at her with his Ax. "...You...Shall...Die...Your life ends here and it shall end tonight."

"Oh...It's day...See the sun is still shining?"

Butcher's rage seemed to increase if that was even possible, his rage was at such a high level that he couldn't even hear his team captain yelling at him to calm down and not to fall for her stupid tricks.

Lisanna evaded the blow designed to kill her moving backwards as he kept coming back at her with slash after slash, blue eyes narrowed as she ducked under his Ax slamming her fist into his chin.

Butcher stumbled backwards before he managed to steady himself, he growled when he realized that the bitch had managed to actually draw some blood. "You...You...why won't you just die?"

"Probably because you are not trying hard enough?" Lisanna asked sounding genuinely surprised that he was asking such a obvious question. "I mean what else could it be? It has to be your own fault."

Butcher's collar sparked as his magic rose beyond the level the collar permitted, the Giant didn't seem to notice that his anger had forced him to release that much of his natural power. "You..."

"Honestly I am disappointed, I expected so much of the one and only _The Butcher_." Lisanna steadied herself knowing that he wouldn't just attack her head on, but this time attempt to blow her up with his magic. "And I was looking forward to a challenge."

The growl he released sounded almost inhuman.

The white haired women focused her magic knowing that unlike in the past she couldn't fully rely on her Take-Over magic , the insertion of the Fox had forced her to abandon all but a handful off Animal Souls. None of which she could do a full body Take-Over. There was no way, she could beat Butcher with a partly Take-Over. Which meant she could only rely on the Fox's powers, something she ended up always doing in these Games.

"What did you just say?" Butcher hissed ignoring the voice of Viper snapping at him not to fall into her damn trap. "I am not the challenge you expected? That I..._The Butcher_ have disappointed you?"

Wow.

Just how much arrogance could one human possibly hold? With that sentence, Butcher managed to become even worse than Eduardo. At least that man had never referred to himself, as _The Eduardo._

Butcher gritted his teeth when the young women smiled in such a way, that one couldn't take it as anything but mocking. "You...Bitch...I changed my mind, I won't decapitate you, I'll blow you up."

Lisanna could feel the Fox stir as she drew out its power but as always, the Demon sealed in her didn't protest against her actions nor did she force herself to the surface. "You are welcome to try." Lisanna jumped back managing to evade the first three slashes with ease, it was during his fourth try that things went a little wrong as she was forced to spin out of the range of his attack, while she had managed to evade the Ax she was unable to fully dodge the explosion the idiot had detonated.

"Lisanna..."

The white haired women crashed on the ground rolling over twice before she managed to steady herself on her feet. "I am fine...Just focus on your own opponents, I can handle one target just fine."

"You are quite cocky."

Lisanna pushed herself back to her feet lifting her arms to gauge the damage done to her arms, she winced when she noticed the burn marks. "That is going to cost her...She is not going to be happy."

"What are you babbling about?" Butcher yelled charging her once again, slamming his Ax down when he finally reached her fully intending to detonate the space around her. "This is the end."

Lisanna's hand lifted up to grab a hold of the Ax as it came down to slam into her skull stopping its descent and shocking the Giant so much that his magic deactivated. "You are right this is the end."

Golden eyes lifted meeting startled brown ones.

.

.

Finally.

It had taken her some time to draw enough power and she wondered if it had anything to do with the stunt she had pulled when they helped Rin escape. Just how many tails had she actually drawn? It was what? Almost two weeks ago, so how could she still be effected by that?

Sigh.

It didn't matter, Lisanna didn't understand why the Fox was willing to allow her to extract so much of her powers nor why she allowed her access to her accelerated healing. But Lisanna was grateful.

_Thank you...I promise I'll finish this as fast as possible, so please just bear with me and allow me to extract as much power as the Collar allows me? _

The Demon sharing her body didn't reply but Lisanna could feel her, deep in the confinements of her soul the Immortal Fox stirred a little and that was all the answer Lisanna needed. "Thank you..."

_It's time to finish this and I have to finish it now...I promised Saizo I wouldn't stay in this state for longer than five minutes, so for me to keep my end of the deal...I have to really hurt him...Sigh._

Lisanna's eyes softened just a little, the only sign that showed that there was still a part of her left that this place hadn't destroyed. "Forgive me, but this going to hurt a lot, so bear with me a little?"

"...Huh..."

The white haired women didn't reply instead she clutched the Ax shattering it in the process before moving closer to the larger male and slamming her palm in his stomach with enough force to lift the Giant of his feet and send him flying backwards. "I really don't know how many times, you are going to hear me say it. But I am really sorry."

Butcher slammed into the ground rolling over for several feet before he came to a complete stop, groaning in pain as he tried to regain his bearings. "Damn...Fuck...That stupid bitch...I'll kill her."

"You should just have stayed down."

The Giant tensed wondering just why the hell her voice sounded so close, he lifted his gaze, brown eyes widening when they fell on Hecate whom was standing just a couple feet away from his person.

"I really didn't want to use it and fuel their blood thirst." The White haired women said sounding very apologetic and upset about being forced to do something she didn't like. "Take-Over: _Sanbi No Kitsune._"

Butcher's entire body trembled in fear when he sensed the tremendous burst of magic, one that was accompanied by a bright flash of golden light and lifted the dust covering the battle ring. "No way.."

The golden light flickered once before dying away revealing Hecate standing in the middle of the ring, and as expected of her brand of Magic, the white haired women's appearance was slightly altered. The most prominent changes being her clothes as the dark pants and white tank she had been previously wearing were now replaced by a different set of clothes and the fact that she was now sporting both Fox like ears and three tails.

Hecate was now wearing a short black Kimono with blue trimmings, the sleeves of her Kimono seemed to be attachable bands as they started from her upper arms extending all the way to her wrists. Around her waist was a light blue sash holding the Kimono together. Her legs were covered in white stocking, while her feet were placed in high heeled black open toed sandals.

The tails protruding from her back were most prominently in the same color as her hair, snow white with only one slight alteration as the tips of her tails were more light golden in color, it was the same with the Fox like ears on top of her head, white with the tips of the ears being light golden in color.

Hecate's eyes fluttered open golden colored orbs fixing their gaze on her opponent as she waited, knowing that he wouldn't give up and force her to actually use force to put him down for good.

"...No...There is just no way...No way...No way...I refuse to lose to likes of you." The Giant yelled pushing himself up to his feet stumbling a little before managing to steady himself. "I'll kill you..."

Hecate didn't reply instead she took a step towards him, pretending not to notice him flinch away in fear. "Prepare yourself, because I'll be finishing this in instant. The less you resist, the less it'll hurt."

The Ravager Team member didn't even have the time to respond to those arrogant words, as she disappeared from his sight. "Just, where did-" The rest of that sentence was lost as something or _someone_ hit him in the stomach burying their fist in the flesh and forcefully pushing the air out of his body.

Golden eyes caught the pain and horror flashing across Butcher's face and she had to remind herself that showing mercy right now, would only work against both of them. So, she chose to further drive her fist in his stomach lifting him of his feet before sweeping her leg up and kicking him into the air.

"...Arg..."

Lisanna crouched down before pushing herself of her legs, leaping into the air after her opponent and positioning herself right above him. The white haired women twisted her body a little a move that allowed her to easily slam her leg into his chest and send him back crashing into the ground.

Butcher hit the ground with the force of a freight train not only causing a dust storm, but his body formed a small crater in the middle of the ring.

The Host of the Demon Fox twisted her body once again, this time to face her defenseless opponent while at the same time willing her three tails to generate Fox Fire. "Don't worry, I'll make this fast."

Fox Fire was one of three abilities the Fox had allowed her access to and aside from being the one most associated with the Immortal Fox, it was also the one Lisanna had the most control over. It might have something to do with how easy it was to charge the spell, the longer and faster her tails rubbed together the bigger and stronger the attack became.

It was because she didn't want to kill or damage him so much that his sponsor would think of him as useless, that Lisanna only allowed the orb to get as big as her palm before releasing it. "Kitsune-Bi."

Butcher had been defenseless against such a brutal attack, Lisanna knew it and everyone in the stands knew it. Still the white haired women didn't hesitate to release it and send it towards the semi unconscious Giant, forcing him to take the full brunt of her magic. The force of her attack shook the ground and aside from the spectators who seemed to be both shocked and amazed at that display of power, the five Mages on the ground ignored the slight disturbance and continued their own battles.

Lisanna landed on the ground in crouch her long hair falling in her face, her blue eyes closed for a moment as she tried to ignore both the crowd going wild and the fights going on around her. "Damned...Damned...Damned...I am really sorry, please belief me."

_Tsk...I'll never get used to this. _

The white haired women sighed forcing her dislike of this all to back of her mind, before pushing herself back to her feet, really hoping that she would never get used to defeating someone so brutally. "Vincent? We should hurry, it's almost time for the Beasts."

"...Ah...I'm kind of in the middle of something, so if you could keep them busy?" The blond male dove under a wave of acid and moved his hand to block the hammer slamming down on his upper arm, he winced only slightly before sending Eduardo back with a kick in the gut. "These two are a pain in the ass, so I'll leave it to you."

She moved her hand sending a blast of Fox Fire between Vincent and his opponents, giving her friend the second he needed to regain his footing and create a make-shift weapon. "I meant, I will take one of your opponents out of your hands, we might not be able to finish this battle before the fifteen minute mark but we can at least reduce the odds."

"Nah...I am fine...Actually I am having a lot of fun here. So, don't you dare to butt in." His blue eyes shifted towards her person scanning her body for any injuries, looking relieved that she was relatively unharmed. "These two won't go down easily. I'm serious Lisanna don't ruin my fun, I'm enjoying myself too much, right now."

Sigh.

Which basically translated to, _'You've done enough_'. '_Don't push yourself to much_', which meant that they had noticed it had taken her longer than normal to release the Fox's tails. "So...what? I just have to stand here and wait until you guys are done? And if the Beasts, _happen_ to be released I'm the one who should keep them busy?"

"Huh...Didn't I already tell you, to do just that?" Vincent asked blocking another hit of Eduardo's hammer. "I swear to god...How many times are you trying that same damn trick." He cursed pushing the teleporter away from him. "Tsk...Annoying bastard. Anyway just handle those beasts if they come? Me and Saizo, thank you."

Lisanna smiled knowing that Saizo had nothing to do with that request, he would kill him if he knew what Vincent had just asked off her. "Fine. I''ll do as you ask...Huh...It's unfair how I always get the dirty jobs, why is that?"

"Because you're reliable? And we trust you?I mean, what else could it be?" The man known as Neptune in the ring said, his eyes still fixed on his opponents who were currently re grouping. "...Anyway...Lisanna we're counting on you, if we're not finished with our fights-"

Lisanna sighed waving his comment away and moving towards a spot she could consider relative safe. "Ah...I know, keep them busy and most of all away from us. You can count on me, as always."

"Modest my ass...Thanks Lisanna, we owe you one."

Lisanna didn't reply to his words, instead she allowed herself a moment to shift her gaze towards the stands and see if this time, she would be able to find out what it was that had drawn her attention. Because something. Or should she say, _someone_ did. There was someone there. Someone that for some reason felt very familiar.

_I know this Magic Signature...No...I these Magic Signatures...There are more than one person...Just who is out there?_

* * *

A/N; ...Finally we have reached the end of this chapter, I am sorry if it was too long. But it was supposed to be even longer than this, so I decided to end the chapter here and spare all your eyes the pain of going through another three thousand plus words.

Still I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, please tell me what you think and what I can do better. I am always open for feedback and will try to do something with it. As always flames won't be accepted and I won't tolerate Lisanna bashing either.

So, I hope to see all in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N; I finally managed to edit this chapter and post it, I hope you will enjoy this one. Because there is a lot going on in this one. To all that read, alerted and favorite this story, I thank you so very much. Your interest in this story, have made me one happy writer, I am glad to see that people are liking this insane idea I concocted._

_**Maiden Warrior;** I wanted to thank you for your kind words, your reviews are one I always look forward to. I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed it and I love how you tend to pick up the little things. Ah, the council while I can't reveal to much about them, I can say that you have at least guessed one of their motives. The council will always be the council, so I have quite a lot planned for them. I hope this chapter will be one you enjoy, it is somewhat longer than my previous ones, so I really hope you like longer chapters. Bonus, I managed to post this chapter within two months and hopefully I'll be able to update this regularly again, so I'll try not make you wait for another year for the next chapter._

_**Guest (16-09-15);** Thank you for the review, I am glad you liked it. And don't worry, this is a Nali story, so I am planning to get them together or at least on the path of getting together._

_**Rayne/Guest and Tia; **I wanted to also thank you for the kind reviews and I hope you will enjoy this chapter, too._

_And before I forget, I do not own the Fairy Tail, manga in any way, shape or form. I wish I did, can you imagine the power I would have over all those characters? Now, that we have established that I don't own anything but this story, you can continue to enjoy this tale. _

* * *

_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro._

_Location; Kronos Underground Research and Detention Facility._

.

.

Rin Zhao hated this place.

She truly and deeply loathed, this godforsaken place. If it wasn't for the fact that she loved her team and wanted them to have a taste of freedom, wanted to see spend time with them outside the walls of the Facility. And if Rin hadn't swore that she would do anything in her power to safe Lisanna from the clutches of an evil and insane cult following, Rin was certain that she wouldn't have returned. Never in a million years.

"How much further must we go?"

The green haired women moved her gaze from the dark tunnel stretching out in front of them and towards the Iron Dragon Slayer walking next to her. "It isn't that much longer..." She frowned in thought trying to recall how long she had actually walked through this tunnel. "...At least, I think we're almost there."

"You think?"

Rin smiled sheepishly as she recalled the state she was in when she had managed to escape, her purple eyes returned back to the path in front of them. "I...Well it wasn't like I was really present." Her purple eyes filled with sadness as the memories of that day filled her mind, Rin could still recall the sheer terror that had filled her. She had never been on the receiving end of Lisanna. The _Fox's_ full power, but that day...That day Lis-

"Don't mind Gajeel, he is just being an idiot." The soft voice broke through her thoughts drawing her back to the present and saving her from re-live that experience all over again. Rin's purple gaze moved towards the women that spoken and noticed that she'd fallen in one of her many solemn moments. The blue haired women smiled softly before shifting her gaze towards the pierced male glaring at him. "His idiocy is something you'll get used to, so until then I apologize in his stead."

The black haired male's eyes narrowed glaring down at the petite women walking a few paces behind them. "...Huh...Who are you calling an idiot, midget."

"You, I'm calling _you_ an Idiot and when will you stop, commenting on my height?"

Gajeel's lips lifted in a smirk, patting the Solid Script mage good naturally on the head, messing up her blue wavy hair. "Hmm...Probably when you get a little taller, so do your best and eat a lot." His words weren't appreciated and only agitated the young women more, a result that drew the two of them in one of their spats, with both calling the other names and not even meaning any by or with it.

_They are almost exactly like Vincent and I, arguing for the heck of it and in the end not even remembering what had started the whole thing in the first place._

It went on for a solid minute, before a green haired male decided that enough was enough and interfered asking them both to stop acting like children and focus on the task at hand. Honestly, he should have known that his interference wouldn't be welcomed by either of the arguing Mages. For people breaking into a secret facility belonging to a highly dangerous and very evil Organization, they were awfully laidback. Or they _seemed_ to be laidback at first glance, because from what Rin could tell they were more trying to ease the boiling anger they felt and this was the only way they could do it.

By arguing and working on each other's nerves.

Rin smiled softly realizing not for the first time that Lisanna had been right, this Guild was one strange place. They were always fighting and arguing about the littlest of things, but even an blind man could see the love and bond they shared with each other. It was that love and that bond, that had caused them to be not just angry and upset when they heard what had happened to their Guild Mate. No, Fairy-Tail considered their members to be family. It was one big family and it was for their family member that they were angry, upset, hurt and most of all _vengeful_.

The rumors about that Guild weren't baseless, it was a known fact that if one dared to touch one member of that rowdy Guild, that they had touched them all and thus would have a problem with every single member. They had proven over and over again, that one shouldn't mess with any of their members. It didn't matter who harmed them, just the fact that someone was stupid enough do it. Council? Kings and Queens? A whole country? It didn't matter, they would make you pay and they would do it as one.

It was why Ackerman had went out of his way, to cover his tracks and erase every single trace of the Take-Over Mage. It was only because, they had been shown a body -_severely burned_\- body. One that they had refused to accept the first three months that the Guild had given up, accepting that they had lost her for the second time around. Ackerman was a dead man and she wasn't even feeling sorry for him, if anything she would pay a great deal just to see that bastard go down.

And go down he would, Simon Ackerman had angered the one Guild you shouldn't anger. He had gotten on the Take-Over siblings bad side. On the Demon Mirajane's bad side. And if that wasn't bad enough, Ackerman had been marked by the one known as Salamander. As much as she'd pitied the Doctor for pissing of Fairy Tail and angering Mirajane Strauss, it was Salamander who seemed to be the most dangerous one. Rin couldn't shake off the feeling that he was tethering on the edge of losing all control.

She didn't know what his relationship with Lisanna was, but it was obvious he cared a great deal about her. Natsu Dragneel's reaction had been violent and in a sense it had been worse than that off her siblings, Rin had never seen fire magic quite as destructive and as scary as his...It hadn't felt human...It had felt different and in a sense it had reminded her off the Fox's powers...Scary...Suffocating and very, very, very dangerous.

It was the sound of rushing water that broke through her train of thoughts, alerting Rin to fact that they had almost reached their destination. "We are here, from here on it's just the home stretch." Rin turned around facing the small group that had accompanied her, her lips lifting when she noticed just how determined they were, the somewhat laidback atmosphere of before was now gone and replaced by this, cold and calculated determination to not only safe their family, but to also make those that hurt her pay for their mistake.

_I am glad that I took this risk, it was well worth it. You have one beautiful family, Lisanna. I swear, I'll make sure you can return to the place that you belong to._

Rin closed her eyes for a moment, mentally preparing herself to re-enter that god forsaken place, the Fairy-Tail mages didn't say anything allowing her this moment. "I know you all said, that you know what needs to be done, but I want to go through this before we go in the belly of the beast." Rin said facing each and every single one of the Six Fairy Tail Mages that had accompanied her. "You are aware of where you need to be, I just want to make sure that you know, _how_ to get there."

"You finished that map, you were working on?" Levy asked moving closer to the green haired women, her hazel eyes softened when she noticed just how tired and stressed Rin was. It wasn't for the first time, that Levy realized just how much this place unsettled the Earth Mage and could one really blame her? Rin had been a prisoner here for a little over five years and here she was, back to the one place she hated more than anything.

"Yeah...It isn't perfect, as I needed to draw it out of memory."Rin kneeled down pulling out the makeshift map and placed it on the ground, purple eyes scanning the contents for a second, deciding that it was as accurate as she could possibly make it. "This is our current location, sub level two and we need to get to sub level Zero." Rin pinpointed both their current location, and their destination, before lifting her gaze and facing the fairies standing around her. "There is one level between us and the labs, but it's also the most dangerous stretch, the reason they didn't come after me was because they counted on the fact that I would die during my trek through level one."

Her hand moved towards the section they had to go through, sub level one. Her purple eyes filling with dread as she stared at the map. "Which is also the reason, why we didn't come across any traps. It's because they are counting on the fact who ever tries to escape or god forbid is stupid enough, to actually break in to this place, to die in level one."

"Why is it so dangerous? And is it colored blue?"

Rin shifted her gaze towards the black haired male, who somehow has managed to lose his shirt, again. Rin had stopped asking how he could strip without even noticing. "Yes, I chosen that color because it is water, the whole floor is filled with water. Or more it is a room holding a Water Vortex, if that makes sense."

"And it's during this stretch that Rin-San needs, Juvia's magic?"

Rin nodded her gaze moving towards the Water Mage she had insisted to accompany them, she smiled when she noticed that Juvia realized why her presence had been so crucial. "It's dangerous." She said more to make her aware of it, than to stop her from doing what she needed to do. "As soon we take the leap, we are helpless and counting on you to guide us. We'll end up dying if you make even one mistake."

The Water Mage's eyes narrowed filling with even more determination. "Juvia understands. The only way to safe Lisanna-San, is for Juvia to use her powers, protect and lead everyone safely through this death trap?"

"Yes."

Juvia nodded closing her eyes for a moment as she strengthen her resolve, before facing the Earth Mage again. "Then that is exactly what Juvia shall do, Juvia shall protect and keep everyone safe. That Juvia swears on her Guild Mark." Juvia said the conviction in her words drawing smiles from her fellow Guild Mates and Rin, who mouthed a thank you to the women Lisanna viewed as a dear and irreplaceable friend.

"As soon as Juvia clears this stretch, we're in the facility?" Levy's question was met with an agreeable sound from the green haired women, the Solid Script Mage frowned. "Huh...It is really that easy? Aren't they a little arrogant? They really belief it isn't possible for someone to clear that level? Why, would they hold on to that belief?"

"It never happened before, so why should it now? Which is the mentality of this place, really. The collars, came into being because people tried to use their magic against them..." Rin smiled when Gajeel sarcastically wondered why anyone would even think of doing anything in their power to fight back against people holding them against their will. "... So, as long it isn't on record that someone survived it, they won't bother themselves with placing guards on either side." She continued her gaze returning to the map lying on the ground, her brows drew together. "Their arrogance, will work in our favor, but we've to move fast and silently."

Gray Fullbuster cracked his knuckles, his lips lifted in a dangerous smirk. "How fortunate for us, we shouldn't forget to thank the doctors and guards in this place, for making things so very easy for us."

"We won't, we'll give them a _warm_, Fairy Tail, thank you." The Re-Quip Mage said her eyes moving from Gray towards the map lying on the ground. "Alright, show us again where we all have to go and we'll improvise it from there."

Rin didn't know why those words sounded so comforting, if anything it showed just how ill prepared they were and that she'd been right, they really needed more than a 'basic' goal. But according to Lucy Heartfilia this was the way Fairy Tail rolled, taking every challenge head on, hoping for the best. The plan, if it was even a plan, was very simple. As soon as they cleared the Water trap, they would separate in two smaller groups, one group would go to the private offices of the Doctors and reclaim the Fox's star Ball. While the other group would go to the labs and take possession of the remotes to the collars of Lisanna and her two friends, as long as they knew how long or how little time they had, they would be able to do it.

Rin showed the _Remote retrieval_ team where they had to go, and which paths and hallways they had to avoid at all costs, making sure to remind them of the fact, that they had to make sure that not even one Guard should be allowed to sound the Alarm, at least not before they had taken a hold of the remote. The group in charge of re-claiming the Fox's Star Ball was under the 'leadership' of Rin, and was with that spared the tedious task of memorizing the various hallways. Though she did tell them how to get there, in the off chance they gotten separated. "Just remember. Office, _Q113_ is the one we want."

Gray leaned forward his eyes following her hand movements, before resting on a section of the map that had the words Q-Department. "Which means that's located somewhere in the Q-Department?" Rin gave him a nod in the positive. He memorized the Q-Department's location before pushing himself in an upright position. "Yosh, Everyone knows what we need to do? We need both the remote and that Star ball, to safe Lisanna."

"I'm sure that you don't have any, but are there any questions?" Rin asked more out of habit than actually expecting any from them, it was why the fact that someone having one, managed to surprise her.

"You said that every collar has one remote and one spare?" Erza asked whom together with Gajeel was tasked with collecting the remote's controlling the bomb collars. "We must get a hold, of both?"

Rin shook her head her gaze lifting up meeting the even gaze of the red haired women. "There is no need, just getting a hold of one is more than enough. Just make sure, you deactivate the collar."

"Won't they be able to just use the spare, to activate the collar again?"

The Earth Mage stood up rolling the map up and putting it back in her pocket. "When you deactivate it, the collar will automatically shut off and drop from the wearies neck. _One_ remote is all you need."

"Alright then, break into the labs and get the remotes of Lisanna, Saizo and Vincent. Or as they are known in this stupid place, XY-324, XZ-345 and XK-327." Gajeel said adjusting his gloves before lifting his gaze facing his comrades. "And while we're at it, make sure to destroy as many of those bastards as you can, that about right?"

Freed Justine whom was in charge of breaking the Runes sealing the Star Ball, smirked his eyes hardening at the prospect of making their enemies pay for their crime. "Sums it up, pretty nicely."

_Huh...They are such an odd Guild, aren't they?_

It was amazing that they were perfectly alright with not having a solid plan and that they didn't know what to expect, as long as they knew what they _needed_ to do, they were fine. "Alright, then. Ready?" The Mages of Fairy Tail faced the green haired women, their expressions varying from cold fury to calculated determination. And as Rin met all their gazes, the words of Lisanna describing this particular Guild came back to her.

_"Your anger is their anger...Your fear is their fear and what you hold dear, will be held dear by them. It doesn't matter where you are, or what you do...Because the Guild isn't a place, it's our very heart."_

The Earth Mage smiled softly. "I see..."She turned around facing the tunnel stretching out into the cavern they needed to cross, her purple eyes filled with the same determination as the Mages standing with her. Rin couldn't say that she knew Lisanna half as long as these people, but that didn't mean that she loved her any less.

Time didn't make one bond more important than another.

* * *

_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro._

_Location; Maximus Coliseum. _

.

.

If anyone asked Saizo to recall the events that had set this disaster in motion, he would have told them to go screw themselves as he had no clue how everything could go wrong in just five minutes.

Everything had been just fine.

Well as fine one could expect things to be in something that was dubbed the Death Games. As always the buzzer had sounded exactly fifteen minutes into the battle, it's familiar sound filling the Arena and alerting both contestants and spectators that it was time for the War Beasts to take the stage.

_That_ had been expected and thus that had been _fine_.

It were the words of the Commentator that had startled the six remaining mages, his words that suggested that everyone in the stands had been waiting for this moment. Even if _that_ hadn't alerted him to the fact that something had been wrong with those words, Ravager's reaction would've done the job. Ravager had backed away from him, shifting his gaze towards the two very annoying commentators, before returning his gaze to him and asking with his eyes, if he knew what they were talking about.

No, he did not.

A new class of War Beasts? Saizo didn't even know they had Classes to begin with, this particular one was classified as number Seven. So, it was reasonable to assume that class one till six, existed right?

Salamander.

That was the name of this class or brand or whatever one called them, though they looked nothing like the animal they were named after. If anything they resembled the Lizardmen more than anything else. They even had the same damn powerful and near impregnable scales. Which made getting through their defense and thus defeating them, sadly very hard. But that wasn't even the worst part. The '_Salamander_' Class War Beasts were different than their predecessors. As powerful as they've been those War Beasts were still nothing more than mere beasts, they had the instinct of an animal and tended to go after the weakest or the most wounded of the group.

So, _they_ were easy to defeat.

War Beasts did _not_ prioritize, they did _not_ use a strategy and most of all they defiantly did _not_ learn from their mistakes nor have enough brain cells to actually adapt to the opponent they were fighting. But that was what the six Lizard War Beasts, were doing. In all his months of fighting the War Beasts, Saizo had never encountered ones that had some semblance of rational thought or even intelligence.

And if that wasn't enough?

There was something even more disturbing than that going on, Vincent _was_ right and it was somewhat unnerving that even the most reckless of them had noticed that something in their behavior didn't make sense. At first Saizo had thought it was him just being his usual paranoid self, but when Vincent pointed out that he had the feeling that their opponents were waiting for something, that he couldn't shake the feeling away that they were holding back, Saizo knew that his gut feeling had been right.

They _were_ waiting for something, Saizo just didn't know what that was. But he was certain that the reason, that they were holding back and were toying around with them, was because they needed to bid their time. Which meant only one thing, they were following a specific set of rules, a plan already set in motion and they were merely waiting for the right time. So, how would they know when they reached the scheduled time?

_A timer? A verbal signal? Or are they waiting until we do something? Think...How will they know when they can stop holding back? A timer this late in the game doesn't make sense. We could either lose the game or we could actually win, by defeating them before any timer goes off...So...A verbal sign? Do, they even understand human language? Or are they waiting for us to do something? Tsk...Since when do War Beasts have the patience to wait for something? Since when could they follow a predetermined set of instructions? Damn, these scientists for putting so much, time and effort in things men didn't need. _

Something growled breaking through his train of thoughts, and pulling the dark haired male's full attention back to the Lizard he'd been facing. The green scaled Beast moved in for another attack, its spiked tail lifting up in the air before moving in a downwards arc, towards the man named after the Roman God of the Sky, Jupiter.

The leader of Team Olympic moved out of the way of the sweeping tail of the Lizard he was facing, the evasive move putting him in the way of Vincent who'd been pushed back by his own opponent, Saizo would have crashed into his teammate, if he hadn't forced himself to jump backwards narrowly evading both Vincent and the Lizard pushing him back. The maneuver took less than a second, but that was the only opening the Lizard needed as he instantly charged the dark haired male, slamming his entire body into the smaller human, sweeping him off his feet and into the air.

The Lightning mage didn't have the time to recover from the first attack nor could he prepare himself for the second barrage the Lizard send after him. The sweeping tail hitting him with the force of a sledge hammer sending him back towards the ground, landing painfully on his left arm. "Damned." Saizo pushed himself back to his feet taking a moment to experimentally stretch his arm and gauge the damage, the War Beast had caused. He frowned, when he felt the burning ache. It wasn't broken, or more it wasn't broken, _yet_. "Tsk...Another hit like that, and it might actually break. Just what I need, one more thing to think about."

"...Fuck...Sorry, you alright Sparky?"

Green eyes shifted landing on the blond male ducking under the claw swipe, while at the same time slamming both his hands which were encased with water in the stomach of the Lizard he'd been facing. "You should be. I'm fine and call me that again, and I shall end you, very slowly and very painfully."

"Tsk...Rude much?" Vincent evaded the tail sweeping towards him by throwing himself backwards and falling into three constructive cartwheels, it was only because he was at a relative safe distance that he allowed himself a moment to face his teammate and give him his response. "_I_ was merely concerned. A nice and very considered thing to do. So, _you_ should be _thanking_ me, instead of being a whiney little jackass."

"Huh, thanking you? For what, exactly? You're the one who nearly cost me an arm, something that wouldn't happen if you stayed on your side of the playing field." It was said in jest, but Saizo was indirectly telling the blond that he had damaged his arm. It had stopped surprising him, for some reason Saizo had gotten used to showing weaknesses to his teammates. He had gotten used to the fact that he relied on them, that he trusted them and most of all he had gotten used to the fact, that it had stopped bothering him. "So forget it, I'm not thanking you for having one more thing to consider. Ah, and whiney jackass is more your thing."

Vincent decided to ignore that last comment and focus on the more pressing matter, his blond brows drew together in obvious concern. "Won't hold you back?" The blond shifted his gaze towards his opponent. "And don't lie, how bad is it?" Vincent knew that Saizo could hear the underlying question, if it was really bad and he was certain that it would hinder him, Vincent would release more Magic power than the collar allowed him.

Saizo whose gaze was still fixed on the War Beast he'd been facing, sighed wondering just what it was with the self sacrificing his team had, for some reason they all tended to be willing to endanger themselves but be beyond pissed when one of the others dared to do it. It made for some interesting arguments, one that Lisanna always tended to win. How she did it, Saizo didn't know and he'd stopped wondering about it. "As always I'll manage, so don't worry. And I wasn't trying to guilt trip you."

"_Rin_...Rin guilt trips. I'm the one who blackmails, while Lisanna doesn't say anything about anything, so when you do find out something is wrong or bothering her, you tend to feel like a heel. You, you Saizo just huff and give a look, that is all. It's annoying as hell, not to say scary as fuck."

The Salamander tilted its head, regarding Saizo, but still it didn't make any moves or show any indication that it wished to attack. "When have I ever scared you? You tried to kill me remember?" Saizo asked without removing his gaze from the Lizard lying in wait. "Which reminds me, I still haven't thanked you for nearly gutting me with that knife. Remind me, to kill you when this is all over, would you?"

"Huh? How on earth is that considered thanking me? If anything, that would-" The rest of Vincent's sentence was forever lost when 'his' Lizard slammed its tail on the ground, the force ripping the earth apart and forcing both Mages to move out of the range of its indirect attack. "Huh...Needy, much? I can't have a simple conversation, before s/he ends up throwing a fit. See, that's why I don't do on relationships."

"Always thought, that was because you couldn't find, anyone stupid enough to settle for you." Saizo was certain that Vincent would have given him a piece of his mind, if he hadn't been forced to block the claw moving towards his neck.

The blond didn't waste any time when the Lizard moved in with his second arm, Vincent took a hold of that one too and used the Lizard as a leverage to kick himself up into the air, somersaulting over the enraged War Beast and landing several feet away from his opponent. "Tsk...That one was close."

'Salamander' three (named so after the tree horns protruding from his forehead) wasn't pleased by the fact that his prey had managed to escape death, it's beady eyes narrowed and for a moment they seemed to be glowing red. It growled its lips curling back and revealing the razor sharp teeth, as the Lizard breathed out, something that looked like a puff of smoke escaped its nostrils.

Blue eyes narrowed wondering whether he had really seen something escape it's nose, he sighed deciding to file it away for later, when he saw that his next exhale of breath didn't reveal any smoke. Vincent tilted an eyebrow watching as 'his' Lizard threw a fit, he sighed pushing himself back to his feet, blue eyes momentarily moving towards his teammate. "Alright, if we finish this conversation another time?"

Saizo's War Beast's eyes narrowed his feet moving apart as he prepared himself for his next move, a move that would either end his prey or would push this fight into the next stage. "Fine by me, it seems that mine is done with his ten minute break, anyway."

"That sounds so wrong on so many levels."

The Lizard who'd been facing Saizo, released an earth shattering growl drawing Olympics' leader full attention on its person. "I don't have anything concrete, till than I want you to keep an eye out."

"Understood."

The Lizard like War Beast charged the human who had survived its initial attack, the green scaled hybrid moved with an agility that would have impressed Saizo, had he not been on the receiving end of the incoming attack and if he still had access to his full magic capacity. Saizo got into a fighting stand deciding that it was better to take the attack head on, as opposed to once again evading it. He had no desire getting in the way of Vincent's fight, the next time he might not be so lucky to evade a collision.

The Lightning Mage steadied his legs lifting his arms in front of him, waiting for the Lizard to reach him and crash into him, and crash into him he did. The War Beast managed to push the dark haired male back with several feet, before he managed to stop himself. "You're a fucking pain in the ass, know that?"

The green skinned reptile growled when he was stopped in his tracks, baring his teeth and putting more force in his legs forcing his body to move forwards and push the smaller human back. It growled before pulling his head back or he tried to pull his head back and out of the grasp of his target, but he realized soon enough that the human wasn't planning on letting him go anytime soon.

Saizo's gaze lifted up meeting the cold beady eyes of the Lizard with a vicious one of his own, his lips lifted in a smirk as he pulled the Lizard closer before lifting it up into the air and flipping it over his head slamming it down into the ground. Salamander four's -_dubbed because of its four claw like scars_\- body hit the ground with enough force to create a dust cloud, it's dark beady eyes blinked both in pain and confusion but the Lizard didn't have time to process just what had happened as the dark haired male was already making his next move, by diving towards him.

Saizo moved his hand which was now encased with blue electricity towards the unprotected belly of the Lizard. "...Lightning Devil's Strike..." The black collar around his neck glowed in response to that specific spell, as he was releasing more Magic than his Limiter permitted him, Saizo could already feel the first flames flickering around the collar, licking across his skin but he ignored it, slamming the tips of his four fingers in the supple flesh of his opponent.

The Lizard like War Beast, released an howl filled with both pain and anger, as the electricity shot through its body short wiring it's nerves. It was only because, the Lightning Mage couldn't release his full Magic power, that the War Beast managed to survive the attack and escape without being killed.

"Tsk...I can't even use such a basic attack, before this damn collar starts to throw a fit." Saizo sighed softly taking a moment to force his Magic to a level that the collar agreed with, cursing the damn scientists for their insight by developing a different collar for him. Unlike the collars of his Teammates and that of the other prisoners, Saizo's limiter didn't shock him. He wished, if it did that he would be able to use his full Magic power at all times.

Saizo's collar tended to burn him and no matter what Vincent said, he was worse off. Though he could ignore the effects for a little while, Saizo _was_ being burned alive. While he had a very high pain tolerance, Saizo didn't feel like risking his neck -quite literally- and suffer from burn wounds, the damn doctors in this place couldn't treat. The Lightning Mage's green eyes narrowed when he saw his opponent crawl back up. "Really?"

The War Beasts rolled over on all fours.

Saizo sighed preparing himself for the next stage of this annoying fight, he took a moment to shift his gaze and search for his Partner. It took him a few moments, but he finally found her diving out the way of her charging opponent. The dark haired male frowned, she didn't look good...If anything it seemed that she was barely holding on to her transformation. "Damn her, just what is she thinking?"

The growl his opponent released drew his attention back towards the Lizard like War Beast, Saizo frowned wondering just what was it planning to do now. 'Salamander' Four opened his mouth taking a deep breath and inhaled a large amount of air. It was a move that was so familiar to the Devil Slayer that he couldn't help but react and jump backwards moving as far away from his opponent as he possibly could. "...What the hell.."

_Did it just..._

Green eyes widened when he saw a puff of smoke escape between its clenched teeth, was he imagining it? Or did he really see smoke? Better said, was it planning to release a Breath Attack? Was that even possible? It was the sound of something crashing into the ground that drew his attention away from the War beast and on to the white haired women, gasping for air. "Damned...Lisanna..." Saizo was in the process of jumping up and make his way towards his friend, when the War Beast he'd been facing decided to make its move.

Saizo cursed ducking under the Lizard's arm swipe and swung his foot sweeping the War Beast's legs from under him, his green eyes narrowed when Salamander Four used its tail to break his fall and used it as a leverage to lift himself up and try to kick the human male in the face, a counterattack Saizo managed to evade by throwing himself backwards while at the same time moving in with his next move, by kicking his legs up and ramming his feet into the War Beast's gut.

The War Beast growled when he landed on the ground, it's beady eyes narrowing in anger.

Saizo kicked his legs back into the air and pushed himself of the ground, flipping backwards and landing on his hands on the ground, he didn't even wince when the white hot pain shot through his arm reminding him of the fact that it was just a few hits away from being broken. Saizo ignored the pain shooting through his arm and focused on his next attack, one that would need a bit more Magic than the limiter around his neck allowed.

_...Barely a quarter of my magic and it's already responding..._

The Devil Slayer's green eyes narrowed as the collar continued to spark, releasing burst of flames that licked across his neck. The collar didn't fill him with fear for his live, nor did it do anything with breaking his spirit. No, the collar around his neck did nothing but piss him off. "Tsk." This was getting really ridiculous, he was barely releasing anything and that damn collar was already roasting his neck. "This should do, then." The blue electric current jumped between both his hands. "Lightning Devil's Pillar." The Devil Slayer released his Lightning Magic into the earth, sending it towards the now standing War Beast.

Salamander four howled both in pain and rage when he was hit by the Lightning Pillar erupting from the ground he was standing on, the attack was both sudden and brutal in its delivery, sending the electrocuting War Beast careering into the air, and it was only after the attack faded that he came back slamming down into the ground, his large body which was still emitting electricity convulsed a few times before he finally went still.

The collar around his neck was sparking violently not even giving Saizo a warning when it started to release even more flames, flames that were slowly licking upwards. Saizo cursed willing his Magic down to a level the Collar found acceptable, it took him a moment but he finally managed to force his Magic down and turning the Limiter off. This was what they reduced him to, a Devil Slayer unable to use his trademark Magic. "Lisanna."

Where was she?

His gaze shifted towards his left, seeking his partner and friend finding her still lying on the ground as she tried to regain both her breathing and bearings. He cursed once again when he spotted the War Beast she'd been facing charging her. "Damned, Lisanna move." Saizo jumped towards his feet already moving towards the white haired women, the collar around his neck sparking as he prepared his spell. "Lisanna...damned, Lisanna...Move, women."

"...Saizo...Water Whip..."

It was months and months of fighting side by side with the reckless mage, that allowed Saizo to recognize the call for what it was. A warning, a lousy one but a warning none the less. Saizo didn't question where the danger was coming from, he just did what they all did when the blond called their name together with an attack. He ducked and just in time for the Elemental Whip to go over his head and slam into one of the remaining War Beast's. One of Ravager's attack must have send it flying this way, it explained why Saizo hadn't seen nor heard it until Vincent's attack hit it and slammed it back in the direction Ravager and his team were fighting.

"Air Sweep."

Saizo's green eyes widened when he recognized that attack, was that idiot serious? He shifted his gaze to the side of the Ring, currently occupied by Ravager and his team. And yes, the stupid man was really planning to let them face all the War Beasts. "I should have killed him, when I had the chance." Saizo said diving out of the way of the incoming War Beast and rolling back to his feet. "Screw this, I don't have time for any of this."

Ravager's Salamander pushed himself back to his feet, growling angrily his eyes falling on his fallen comrade before settling his angry gaze on the man responsible. Saizo sighed softly wondering just why he had abided to Lisanna's request and not kill his opponent, he should have gone with his gut and gutted the son of bitch. If Ravager thought even for a minute, he could pawn of his opponents off to him. He had another thing coming. His green eyes shifted towards Lisanna finding her kneeling on the ground, still trying to regain some semblance of control. "Damned I really, don't have time for this." The collar around his neck sparked in response for the third time in the last ten minutes.

.

.

.

"...Lisanna...Move...Women..."

Lisanna Strauss barely had the time to register Saizo's warning as the Lizard she'd been facing was already diving towards her, something that forced the Take-Over Mage to roll over on her side and use her right hand to push herself of the ground and into the air, narrowly evading the full body slam of the Lizard like War Beast. She landed in a crouch on the ground skidding backwards for several feet, before coming to a complete stop.

This was bad.

Lisanna closed her eyes trying to ease down her breathing and rapid heartbeat, this was really bad. She could barely hold on to her transformation, Lisanna could literally feel her Magic draining almost as if it was pouring out of her body and disappearing into thin air. Why on earth did it feel like, she'd been using her Magic for hours as opposed to just twenty minutes. It made her wonder, just what she did to herself, that day?

_It is more than having trouble with my transformation, I'm not healing fast enough. _

The War Beast dubbed, _Salamander One_ (named so for no other reason, than that he had appeared first) growled when he realized that she had managed to get away relatively unscratched. The green scaled Lizard's beady eyes narrowed as he pawed the ground a couple of times before it charged the white haired women, the ground seemed to rumble as the War Beast moved faster and faster fully intending to slam into the women.

_Time...I need time or an external source..._

No, was she really thinking about using that ability? Was she honestly contemplating to end someone's life and make it her own? This wasn't just killing them, it was more than robbing them off their life. It was making their life your own, it didn't matter whether the War Beasts were naturally born or made by human hands. A life was a life and it shouldn't be taken, so easily. So...She shouldn't do it...She couldn't do it...She wouldn't.

_"...Right now, your life belongs to me, you don't want to life for yourself? Fine, than life for me. Until, I release you from your debt, you shall fucking fight for your life, am I clear?"_

The words that Saizo had spoken all those months ago were like a jolt to her system. Words she'd almost forgotten, but had given her the will to fight back and keep the Fox's possession at bay. Lisanna's life wasn't her own and it hadn't been hers, for a very long time and until Saizo released her from this debt. Until Saizo had forgiven her, for dragging him into all of this. Lisanna's would fight for her life. She _wouldn't_ die. She couldn't prevent the Fox from fully taken over, but she could at least defend herself and do all in her power to stay alive.

She wouldn't take everything, just enough to hold on to her transformation and heal some, of her wounds. But first things first, she needed to get a hold of her transformation or it would end up dissolving as her Magic reached its lowest level.

_Relax, Lisanna...You can do this, just relax...Find your centre...Focus on that...Ground yourself...Just relax...Breath...Breath..._

Lisanna breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, again and again until she felt like she could maintain her transformation, without feeling like she was dying. Her eyes were the only thing that revealed the struggle for control, as they were flickering between their natural color and that of the Kitsune's state, before flashing brightly and they finally settled on the golden color that was so common of her new Magic. It had taken some effort but she managed to keep a tight leash on the three Tailed state and keep it active and while that was a good thing, it had also taken time. Precious time she could have used to evade the War Beast.

_It seems we have no choice...We have to take the hit...It's the only way, for it to work..._

Lisanna's eyes flashed fully red for a single moment. It was something that went unnoticed by everyone in Coliseum, but if one looked very carefully they would see the difference. If anyone had been really looking at the Take-Over Mage, they would see the small but very significant change. The beautiful gold, the one that was seen as the default eye color of the Kitsune's magic, where now lined with a brilliant ring of red. Lisanna steadied herself bracing herself for the impact, one that would severely damage her.

The War Beast slammed into the petite women ramming his claws into her abdomen, drawing nothing more but a soft gasp from the human. Lisanna didn't even wince when the claws pierced through her body, an achievement she could credit to all the pain and suffering she'd already went through. Her vision blurred before focusing once again, her golden eyes staring right into the sadistically gleeful expression of the War Beast. In the distance she could hear Saizo and Vincent calling her name and for a moment, she thought that she'd heard someone else, someone that sounded awfully like her sister, but that was ridiculous. "..Tsk...Pathetic."

Lisanna's lips lifted in a sardonic smile, this was priceless.

Just how sad and pathetic could she possible be? To actually imagine, her own sister's voice and then to have the nerve to be filled with something close to relief. Mira-Nee wasn't here and she would never be here, because there was nothing and no one that could lead her here and Lisanna was fine with that. The women that disappeared almost two years ago, had died almost seven months ago and they would never get her back. Her smile turned colder, crueler and with that small action, Lisanna knew that the Fox sharing her body was close to the surface. Her golden eyes, revealed for just one second that thing that was sealed deep inside her.

And that one second was all that was needed, in that one moment, Lisanna showed the War Beast what it was that they'd put in her body. Showed him, that he wasn't the most dangerous predator, in the Ring today. Salamander One's eyes widened in shock or surprise, Lisanna didn't know and she didn't care. The only thing that mattered right now, was that they'd been right. The War Beasts or at least, this class of War Beasts were capable of rational thought, they were capable of understanding a situation and could react accordingly to it. It was something that made them more than simple beasts, it made them beings in possession of a conscious.

She closed her eyes reaching for her Kitsune Magic, drawing out more and more of its powers, she could already feel the familiar power fill her senses. Lisanna opened her mouth taking a deep breath preparing herself to cast her curse, her arm lifted up moving towards the limb not only piercing her body but also holding it in place, grabbing a hold of it with as much strength she could muster. "Noroi No Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu."

The War Beast's body stiffened as the curse traveled through his body, streaming through his veins and sucked away his health and life force. Salamander One's instincts were screaming for him to get away, to move away from this thing. This women was not the same as the one he'd been facing. This one was someone...This one was _something_ else...Something dark...Evil...Old and very, very dangerous. Salamander One tried to move away, he was in the process of pulling his claw out of her body when he noticed that he couldn't get away from her.

Lisanna clutched the War Beast's arm as she continued to drain him of his health, of his energy, his very life and made it her own. Lisanna could feel it with each and every breath she took, her strength was returning. She could sense her magic stabilize itself as she regained control over her transformation and she detected the change in the exhaustion and tension leaving her body. Lisanna was getting better and he was losing his life.

_...More...More...More...We need more...We need to feed...We're hungry...So hungry...Feed us..._

Lisanna forced herself to ignore the voice in the back of her head, one that sounded an awful lot like her own. One that was demanding her to still the hunger, to still the thirst for the souls and lives of those around her. One that was demanding her to feed them, and Lisanna was hungry. No, the _Fox_ was hungry. It was _her_ need that was filling her. It was always her need that filled her in these moments. The Fox was hungry and she ate everything...Elements...Souls...Desire...She could snuff out flames and dry the land, she could vaporize the ocean and scorch the skies. She sucked life out of _any_ and _everything_. It was how she was, it was _who_ she was.

Salamander One's body swayed as the life dimmed in his eyes, the War Beast tried to pull his arm back and out of the iron grasp of the human women. But her hold was almost desperate, it almost seemed that she needed to hold on to him. The green scaled Lizard opened his mouth and for the first time since he had appeared in the ring, it wasn't a growl that escaped him. It was a soft pained sound, one that begged for mercy.

Golden eyes flickered with emotion before they were filled with an hunger, that no one not even the owner of the eyes could describe. Lisanna strengthened her hold, she needed this...She needed to feed...They were hungry...So damn hungry...She needed souls...She needed life...She need to feed on everything...She would dry out the ocean...Scorch the heavens...And severe the earth...Food...She need Food...And she needed it now.

_...More...More...More...More...We need more...Or we won't be strong enough..._

Lisanna's eyes glowed flashing momentarily to red and for a second, for just one moment in time she had been temped. Lisanna had debated the idea, to just suck his entire life out of him and make it her own. He was after all an enemy and if she made his life her own, she would be able to continue fighting without worrying Saizo and Vincent. They would be able to rest, if she took his strength she could protect them, all she had to was extract a bit more and in bigger portions, that was all. It was just so easy, just a little bit more and she would be able to protect them. Protect them like they protected her. It was worth it, he was an enemy after all.

_...We only defeat our enemies and never take their lives, that is the way of Fairy Tail..._

That single thought hit her with the force of a freight train, it broke through her thoughts and through the hunger, the need to feed. It cut through the voice in the back of her mind pushing it back until it was nothing more but a distant memory. In its place, that single thought filled her with fear, sadness and a lot of disgust.

_...No...Oh, god...No...This can't be happening, not again..._

Lisanna gasped pulling the arm of the Lizard of out her body, her eyes filling with the utter loathing she felt. What was she doing, all she had wanted was a little bit. Enough to just heal her wounds, that had been all. But she had taken too much, she had been tempted to kill him. Lisanna's hand eased its iron hold, golden eyes saddened when she noticed that it was far too late. Salamander One, was dying and she was the one who had killed him. No, she didn't just kill him, what she did was far worse.

_...I stole his life and made it my own... _

Salamander One swayed a little, the last traces of life had already left his eyes and the Lizard would have collapsed on the ground, if it wasn't for the fact that Lisanna was still holding on to him. The white haired women eased the War Beast to the ground gently lying him down, before she released her hold on his arm and stepped away from the now lifeless Lizard. "A monster wrapped in a human skin. Nothing more and nothing less."

_Such a person has no place in Fairy Tail..._

Lisanna's heart clenched when those words hit him, her knees buckled and she collapsed to the earth next to the War Beast. She didn't understand why those words hurt so much, hadn't she decided that she wouldn't go back? That she _couldn't_ go back, to Fairy Tail? Not with Ackerman and Kronos, wanting to control the Fox residing in her body. Not with the Lisanna that Fairy Tail had come to known, was someone who barely existed in this body?

Hadn't she been fine with that? Hadn't she decided that it was better for everyone involved? So, why? Why, was she so bothered by that thought? Why, did it hurt to realize that she could never go back? Wasn't she alright, with it? Didn't she hardened her resolve? So, why? Why..._Why_, did it hurt so much? Lisanna closed her eyes her head lowering to the ground, she was pathetic...She was weak...So, utterly weak and useless.

_I didn't set my resolve...I was still hoping...Still praying to be able to go back home..._

Lisanna had been lying to herself, a part of her had always been hoping, to go back home. She wanted to see her siblings. She wanted to tell them she loved them. She wanted to have many more conversations with Juvia. She wanted to fulfill her promise to Lucy Ashley and get to really know, this Lucy, become as close to her as she had been with Edo Lucy. She wanted to live with her family and friends. She wanted all of that and so much more. She hadn't strengthened her resolve, all she'd been doing was pushing it back. She'd been so busy with suppressing them, that she actually believed that she was alright. "This is pathetic. _I'm_ just pathetic."

_...I was still hoping...I wanted to go back...I...I want to go home..._

Lisanna closed herself off from the chanting crowd, from the world around feeling herself finally fall into despair. She was barely aware of the fights going on around, Lisanna didn't even notice her own teammates shielding her from an War Beast, no instead Lisanna tried to wrap her mind around the fact that she was really never going to see her siblings again.

No, that wasn't right.

Lisanna _would_ be able to her siblings again but she wouldn't be _their_ Lisanna, she wouldn't be even this Lisanna -_who ever that one was_\- Lisanna's body which would be owned by the Fox, who in turn would be controlled by Ackerman and Kronos, would end up fighting her siblings...Her friends...Her family...Lisanna's body would be used against Fairy Tail and they would be forced to try and put her down.

_...I am stuck...I can't go back...And I can't stay here either..._

No matter what she ended up doing, Lisanna would end up hurting her loved ones. Was it a mistake to hold on? Was it a mistake to find a way to co-exist with the Fox residing in her body? Was it a mistake to use Saizo as her anchor? Should she have allowed the Fox to eat through her soul?

Should she have allowed Ackerman to compile more tests?Lisanna really didn't know, what was better? To allow the Fox to consume her right away and not be aware of what they would have used her body for? Or was it better to fight it off as long as she possibly could, know what they would do with her body and the Fox and then lose herself in this possession?

.

.

.

"...You've been waiting for..."

Lisanna barely registered the words of one of the announcers, but it was those words that broke through her jumbled thoughts and drew her back to the world around her. Golden eyes fell on the scattered Mages and the War Beasts stalking them. Lisanna's eyes widened what was she doing, was she really going to let her teammates handle everything while she was feeling sorry for herself. "Later, I can feel sorry for myself later."

"...After the one and only Salamander..."

Lisanna who was in the process of standing up stopped, when those words registered. Did he just say, named _after_ the one and only Salamander? Not a Salamander, but the Salamander. Lisanna's eyes widened as that feeling of dread filled her senses once again, Lisanna knew of only one person that went by that epithet and that was the same person whom she had hoped would find her, her childhood and once best friend Natsu.

"And with that they have gained the same abilities, so who is excited to see Salamander in action?"

Lisanna's gaze flew towards the War Beasts and it was only now, that she finally realized what it was that had been bothering them. Why Lisanna had wondered why, they had introduced them as War Beasts named after Salamander as opposed to War Beasts named after a Salamander. Her eyes widened in fear and shock when one of the Salamander's opened his mouth and drew in a large amount of air.

She could feel her heart actually skip a beat, Lisanna recognized that simple gesture. It was a move she had seen her childhood friend use so many times, that she had come to associated it with him. It was the spell she had seen her partner use in the rare times he forced himself to release more Magic and it was an attack that they couldn't or more shouldn't even possess.

_...They aren't serious, they actually managed to do something like that? How is that even possible?_

Golden eyes widened when she realized who the target was, Lisanna didn't even think about her next move, it was stupid to move while she was still absorbing Salamander One's life, it was dangerous to move while her wounds were sealing themselves shut. But she didn't care, her golden eyes were fixed on the Devil Slayer fending off Ravager who seemed to be hell bend on taking him down.

What was he doing? Why, wasn't he paying attention? It wasn't like him, Saizo was always someone who was aware of every little thing happening around him, the only time he wouldn't focus on his surroundings was when...Damned, this was her fault. If she hadn't broken down, if she had just ignored the pain, Saizo wouldn't be so focused on keeping everyone on this side of the battle ring. "...Faster...Please...We need to make it..." Lisanna whispered pushing herself to go even faster, moving towards the dark haired male.

Lisanna dove towards her partner, slamming into him with enough force to send the taller male tumbling to the ground, Lisanna's leg moved out as she slammed it against her partner. The Take-Over Mage didn't even have the time to register the shock flashing across his face nor did she manage to catch the surprise of everyone else, all Lisanna managed to register was the pain that came with having her body enveloped in flames. All she had the time to do, was scream one that pierced through the air. A scream that seemed to contain more than just the pain of being burned alive.

She crashed into the ground rolling over for several feet before she finally came to a complete stop, parts of her body covered in orange flames. And even through the pain, Lisanna could sense it...Could sense _her_...The Immortal Fox was rising from her slumber, responding to the danger her host was facing. The danger _she_ was facing. She could feel the mental wall they placed between them collapse as the Fox pushed herself to the surface pass the barrier separating the two souls.

"...Lisanna..."

The White haired women's hand twitched the first sign that she was still somewhat consciousness, Lisanna lifted her head a little wondering whether she was really losing her mind and merely imagining everyone being here, first her sister and now her childhood friend? Lisanna's sight blurred her head dropping back to the ground and as she was hovering on the edge of her consciousness, Lisanna's lips parted on that name. "Nat...Su?" She whispered almost giving into the mind numbing pain and allow the darkness to cover her eyes, Lisanna sighed softly wondering why she was doing that, why she always did that. Why, would she even imagine them?

_...Natsu is not here, he will never be here..._

Just what was it with today? Why, on earth did she keep imagining hearing their voices? They weren't here and they would never be here, the sooner she accepted that, the better it was for everybody. All she had to do was remind herself of one little thing and that was the _how_. _How_, would they even find her? They didn't have anything to go by, no leads to follow or a place to start. And if she had to belief Ackerman, he had shown them a body. A severely burned body, but one that was coated with parts of her DNA. So, why would they think of searching for her? Ackerman made sure, that there was no way, for Fairy Tail to ever find her.

_...I really need to move on, Fairy Tail is not here and will never be here..._

Who was here, was her team and they were the ones, who were the most important. She needed to focus on them, Lisanna knew she had to move and help them. If only to take away some of the worry they felt, they were scared for her. She could hear them, calling for her and begging her not to give into the pain. Lisanna could hear the desperation and she understood their fear, Lisanna couldn't afford to let the Fox lose here, not now with Doctor Ackerman in the imperial Box watching.

He would push her to kill everyone and everything around her, Ackerman would make sure that this battle would be dragged out as long as possible. He would send more and more of those War Beasts after her, just to see how she with full access to the Fox's Magic would fare. Just how far she would go if she wasn't shackled by something as trivial as mercy, compassion and emotion in general. The mad Doctor wanted to see how the Fox fared when she gave into her wild and untamed side.

Stand up.

Lisanna moved her hands to push herself up, only managing to crawl up to her knees, an action that took a lot out of her. Lisanna's golden eyes searching to her teammates, finding both males engaged in a battle with Ravager and two of the four remaining War Beasts, her eyes moved once again this time in search of Viper and Eduardo, spotting the two mages battling it out with one more War Beast. "Wait...Where is the last-" Her eyes widened when she heard the growl coming from behind her, Lisanna's muscles tensed when she realized where the last remaining War Beast was. How on earth did he get there? Or better, _when_ did he get there?

_...I can't evade him..._

Lisanna knew that she wasn't fully healed, the life force she stolen from Salamander One was now being used to keep her transformation active and was sealing the most dangerous of her wounds. The burn marks she received, all her previous wounds were seen as secondary to her Healing Abilities, as always it tended to focus on only those wounds that would kill her within the next five minutes and work itself from there. It was why it was so dangerous to heal and fight at the same time, she could very well be poisoned but her healing wouldn't view that as the primary threat as opposed to let's say, that gaping hole in her chest. "It's not our day..."

The War Beast standing behind her opened his mouth, inhaling a large amount of air in order to release his breath attack.

Lisanna used the last bit of her energy to turn around and face the Salamander standing behind her, her lips lifted in a smirk when she saw some of the surprise reflecting in his eyes. She might not be able to evade that attack but she would take it head on, Lisanna refused to turn her back to danger and though she may not be a part of Fairy Tail anymore, Lisanna refused to go down as anything less. "Go ahead, give us your best shot."

The War Beast released his breath in a powerful torrent of flames, sending it towards the Take-Over Mage.

Lisanna's transformation shimmered as she dropped the only thing that could have kept her alive, it was better this way. It was better for everyone involved if they didn't survive this, Lisanna closed her eyes for a moment to thank everyone and everything that had shaped her to become the women she had become. Lisanna smiled sadly as she thanked her siblings for not only loving her but also for not giving her up. She thanked Master Makarov for letting them join Fairy Tail and the Guild for becoming her home and place she always wished to return to.

She thanked Natsu for allowing her to become his friend, she thanked Happy for letting her be someone who had raised him. She thanked Lucy for being there for Natsu and Juvia for being one of her best friends. She thanked Vincent for always making her smile and Rin for being her stable rock. And she thanked Saizo for becoming one of the most important people in her life, thanked him for allowing her to be his friend and thanked him for always being there for. She thanked them all for allowing her to love and care about them, she thanked them for exiting. "..Don't...This is better...We are better off this way, this way he can't hurt us anymore."

The Fox residing in her body stopped her ascend and for a moment she allowed the human women to hear her thoughts, asking her whether she was certain about this. That while _she_ would be set free, Lisanna would end up dying for real. The Fox sighed softly when her Host nodded assuring her that she was absolutely certain about this, all she asked of her was to get Saizo and everyone imprisoned out of here. _"...I...Promise..."_

_...Thank you..._

Lisanna's eyes opened when she sensed the heat of the flames, she smiled when she noticed just how close those flames were. This was it, this was as far as Lisanna Strauss got and honestly, her life while filled with a lot of hurdles had been a great one. Lisanna had seen many different things, been to so many different places, she had met many wonderful people and she grow up to become somewhat of a decent human being. Her smile widened not in the least bit bothered by the fact that her life was cut short by a insane cult and some mad scientists. "You must never reveal sensitive information about Fairy Tail to others for as long as you live. You must never use former contacts met through you being in the Guild for personal gain and though our paths may have diverged-"

"You are supposed to say that when you decide to leave the Guild."

Lisanna's eyes widened in shock when that familiar voice reached her ears, Lisanna would have brushed it off as her mind playing tricks on her, if it wasn't for the tall figure jumping in front of her intercepting the attack. Lisanna could feel her eyes burn with unshed tears when she noticed that the person standing in front of her was inhaling the War Beast's attack. It almost seemed as if he was eating the flames, feeding of them.

"Sorry, it took me this long to find you. But I finally did, I _found_ you...I finally found you, Lisanna."

Golden eyes filled with tears, when the male standing in front of her turned to face her, Lisanna shook her head not really wanting to belief that this was real. This wasn't happening, this was not real. There was no way, that he was standing in front of her. She was probably dreaming, yes this was nothing but a dream. She was back in that Chamber, back on that altar and they were extracting her tails, that was why she was seeing Natsu. They were creating new seals, this time using her loved ones.

Because there was no way, that her childhood friend was standing in front of her.

* * *

_A/N:_ _And you have reached the end of chapter four, and a lot has happened in it. I hope I didn't rush through it, but I wanted this all in one chapter and not separate it in two different ones. It's long I know, but I am quite happy with it. If the length of the chapters bother you, please say so. I personally like long chapters and am always sad when the chapter ends so quickly. Please tell me what you think about it, and don't mind Lisanna being OOC, she has been through a lot and she is currently having a identity crisis, which will we see more off in the upcoming chapters._


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N; And here we have arrived at the fifth chapter of Juubi No Kitsune, if a lot had happened in the last chapter this one in my opinion tops it. So, I hope you will like what I have in store for you all. This story is slowly becoming one of my favorites to work on, which is saying a lot as I love Queen of Rome (should update one, very soon...For those who follow that story, I promise I'll update it soon) Back to this tale of mine, I am glad that you seem to enjoy where I am taking this story and I hope you will stick around, I can tell you that it will be a roller-coaster ride. _

_**Maiden Warrior; **__Your reviews make me always smile, thank you so much for the kind and very motivating words. I am glad to see that you like this story so much and to hear that I managed to give life and make the OC's distinct and different from each other is a relief, it's very hard creating characters and placing them in a world that is already established. So, to hear that they are not static, is something that makes me happy. Don't worry you'll be seeing plenty of Rin, Saizo and Vincent as they are very essential to the story and they are __the only ones who know the current Lisanna, the Guild will see (realize) that they will need them, if they want to help Lisanna. That is all I can say without giving to much about the plot of the story, I hope you stick around to see how everything plays out._

_**Airborne3;**__ Thank you for your review, I am glad that you like it and it's always great to see another NaLi fan. You don't have to worry about the OC's taking too much focus, while they are important for the plot and driving the story further, they won't be doing that at the expenses of Lisanna and Natsu's relationship. This story is first and foremost a NaLi story and the reason why I started at was to showcase their bond, that won't change, the day it does will be the day I'll drop this story. So, I hope I have eased your concern and that you will stick around to see how their relationship evolves but also how Lisanna deals with being different and having to share her body with something else. _

_To everyone who has read, followed and favorite Juubi No Kitsune, I wanted to say thank you for giving my story a chance and I hope you all will enjoy this next chapter._

_As always me doesn't own Fairy Tail, if I did would I be writing on this site and if that hasn't alerted you the fact that I don't own it, maybe the fact that I would have used Lisanna's potential instead of pushing her to background. Also, I know I suck with Grammar so forgive me for any mistakes, now that we have cleared all that up. please enjoy the chapter. _

* * *

_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro_

_Location; Maximus Coliseum. _

.

.

This wasn't happening.

Simon Ackerman gritted his teeth, his brown eyes watching how everything descended in to chaos. The brown haired male could feel himself lose his famed temper, this wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening, not here and not now that they were so close. They were _so_ close in unleashing her, the one single entity that was considered to be more powerful than Acnologia and darker than Zeref. The being that didn't destroy a country but had reshaped the world by causing not one, not two but _three_ different continents to sink to the bottom of the ocean.

A being that had managed to push the human race to the brink of extinction and had put the fear of God in them, or in her case the fear of Demons in them. No one knew what had caused her to go on a rampage like that, all everyone knew was that one day the Demon Fox appeared and started to destroy and kill everything and everyone in sight. The Fox hadn't allowed one village, one town, a country or a single continent to escape her wrath. For seven days, she had been going on a rampage unleashing all her powers on the unsuspecting and unprepared world. She hadn't rested, hadn't slept and she had not allowed a single person to have that luxury either.

Mankind had accepted that they would cease to exist, they had stopped fighting the Fox realizing within a few hours that they didn't stand a chance. It was why her sudden change of heart had surprised the remaining world, the remaining continents had been prepared for her anger and had stopped fleeing, knowing that there wasn't a place on this earth the Fox wouldn't go. But one day, she had just stopped her attack on mankind. On the eight day, the Fox had arrived on the Peninsula of Ishgar, setting foot in a port town in the country of Fiore and had been expected to destroy that country and in turn the entire Peninsula but she hadn't done it.

Something had happened in that town, something made her change her mind and had caused her to retreat. The Fox had pulled away from the Human world and had never shown herself again, all everyone had known was that she had retreated to an Island a couple of miles from the main land and laid down. A Island that became her new home, her presence there reminded the world of what would happen if anyone would ever dare to test her temper again.

It why so many people, so many different organizations left her Island alone. It was why no one ever dared to set foot on the place she had called her own, no one dared to disturb her new home and as long as the Fox stayed there and didn't leave the large Island, it was fine and she could have it. That Island would later come to be known as the Island of _Zorro_, the Island of the _Fox_. An Island that was forbidden to be visited. It was why no one had noticed when they had arrived here and had build their small community. It was why they'd been able to hide out here for almost eleven years and start their plan, one that would allow them to rule the world, and keep ruling it for eons to come. With the Fox under their thumb, they'd be able to control the infamous Silver Clan or as they were known in the old East, the one and only Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.

_Her_ Night Parade of one Hundred Demons.

A Parade that XY-324 would allow them to control, they'd sworn loyalty to the Fox and as soon as the Fox had taken full control over the body, _XY-324_ would be the one they had sworn loyalty to. And XY-324 belonged to _him_, she obeyed _him_ which meant that the Infamous Parade was _his_ to command. XY-324 was by far the most compatible of all three hundred test subjects they had used in the past ten years, the third to have survived past the first twenty four hours of insertion and the only one that had reached the seven day mark. He would be damned if he lost her, to them. Which brought the question, how that stupid Guild, managed to find her?

He'd covered his tracks perfectly and he was certain that it wasn't that pathetic town, they were as guilty as he was. So, who was it? Who else held the information to lead that Guild here? Who knew what had happened to the Take-Over Mage? Where she was held, how to get here? Who, would benefit the most of revealing this valuable piece of information? Who, was stupid enough to challenge not only him but Kronos as well? Who would dare to make enemies, out of them?

Brown eyes widened in realization.

It was that women, that Earth Mage and the final member of their best and most successful team, it was that _Gaea_. It had to be her, there was no one else. How had that damn women managed to get through the current? Not be sucked in by the dozen or so ventilators? Why hadn't she been slammed against the spiked walls? How had she managed to get through it alive? How had she been able to navigate her way out of that Vortex?

Unless, _she_ didn't.

Damned, he'd been so focused on the fact that XY-324 had managed to enter the Kitsune State that he hadn't stopped to think how odd it was, that the Guards had _managed_ to retrieve and re-capture Neptune. That man was as fast and versatile as the Element he wielded, there was no way he wouldn't have jumped into the Vortex, a Water Mage of his caliber wouldn't have had any trouble in taking control over that volatile Vortex. Those bastards had managed to trick him, they had known that he would have been to focused on XY-324 and they had taken advantage of that. Still, how had they managed to push XY-324 to fall into the Kitsune State?

How had they done that without injecting her with Anti-Ethernano? How had they managed to pull the Fox's Soul to the surface? How had they extracted her tails? How, without releasing the seals placed on those tails? Seals that were there to help _them_ control how many tails she was allowed to use at any given time. How had they managed to achieve something that not even he, _Simon Ackerman_ couldn't do? How, did they do it?

Ackerman stoop up from his seat making his way towards the balustrade leaning against it, his brown eyes watched how the Fairy Tail Mages made short work of his Guards. Guards who were trying their best to defend themselves against the brutal and near deadly assault the opposing Mages were unleashing on them. This was ridiculous, Ackerman counted nine, nine Mages on Fairy Tail's side. Three of the nine weren't even fighting. So, that made six, just six Mages were making short work of his Guards. Six pesky little Mages were causing so much havoc, destroying his hard earned success and invading his empire. "Damn that, meddling Guild."

His brown eyes moved towards the three Mages that weren't fighting, Ackerman recognized two as the remaining Take-Over Siblings. Mirajane "_The Demon_." Strauss and Elfman "Beast Arm" Strauss. The two mages seemed to be standing a few feet away from their younger sibling and were waiting to approach her. Ackerman's gaze fell on the final Mage and the one they had based the Class Seven War Beasts on. Natsu Dragneel, or as he was more commonly known as _Salamander_.

Ackerman didn't know what he had said but it seemed that Salamander had managed to get through to her, the white haired women dove towards the taller male clinging to him as if her life depended on it. This wasn't happening...No, this _would_ not happen. He would not let her go, XY-324 belonged to him. It was he, who had made her what she was today. It was he, who had made her better and allowed her to access more of her magic.

It was _him_ and not her old Guild. XY-324 was a member of Team Olympic and Team Olympic belonged to Kronos and with that they belonged to him. Ackerman smirked, it was time that he showed those pathetic mages just to who she was loyal to. Who it was she was obeying, XY-324 was his possession and his to control, he was the only one allowed to give her orders. "XY-324? I am sure that you are a little bored, right? So, wake up."

XY-324 was too far to actually hear his words but she sensed his order, the white haired women tensed up pulling away from the Salmon haired male and facing him. Her sudden withdrawal drawing the attention of the man known as Salamander, one who seemed to sense her fear and turned around trying to find what had scared her so much. His gaze finally landed on Ackerman, who merely smirked haughtily looking down on him.

Ackerman tilted his head when he saw that XY-324 had said something, something that seemed to have pissed the Fire Mage off. The Doctor watched Salamander push himself to his feet and take a step in his direction, he smirked when XY-324 grabbed a hold of him trying to stop him. This was all nice and all, but it was starting to bore him. It was about time that he ended things, XY-324 would proof for once and all whom it was she belonged to.

The brown haired male blinked when he saw the fire erupt around him, the volatile flames were surrounding the two Mages and while the man known as Salamander was immune to the flames it seemed that his flames weren't bothering nor harming the white haired women. "This is troublesome, I forgot who he was." Ackerman's eyes moved towards the women standing next to him. "XY-324? I order you-" His lips smirked when he saw the small women back away from the salmon haired male. "-To kill them _all_ and use excessive force, I want you to show me how far you have gotten. Don't disappoint me, proof to me that you are _mine_."

* * *

_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro_

_Location; Maximus Coliseum, a few minutes earlier._

.

.

Lisanna was crying.

The brightest person he knew, the one with the ability to smile through everything was crying. The women who tended to smile brighter when times were a little harder, the one who didn't cry nor depressed over things, was shedding tears. This was Lisanna the one who always spared her tears for those she believed needed it more than her, crying in front of him. In all the years he'd known her, Natsu had never seen her cry for herself.

"...You're not real..."

Natsu ignored the commotion around him and focused on the young women kneeling on the ground, the women who was edging away from him. As much as that hurt him, it was nothing compared to seeing her tears. To see her shed tears, because she was in pain, was like a knife to his heart, Natsu didn't know how to make her feel better, didn't know how to make her stop crying and it was killing him. He had always hated her tears.

"_..._You _can't_ be real..."

Just what did they do to her? Just what was it that she had to go through, to be reduced to this? She reminded him of an cornered animal, one that was waiting for him to deal the final blow. One that was ready to either bolt or fight tooth and nail for her life, Lisanna's eyes were filled with both fear and an recklessness that told him that she didn't care if she ended up losing her life in this battle. It took every ounce of strength he had to contain the rage he felt, to stop his magic from pouring out and burn everything and everyone on his path. It was almost a miracle that he managed to withheld his rage, but he managed. The only reason being, that he didn't want to startle her and scare her away from him.

"...You just can't..."

Natsu took a step towards the despairing women, one who had stopped edging away from him. He smiled softly, his expression showing both his care and worry for her. "Lisanna? I promise it's me...It's _all_ of us." He took another step towards her before kneeling down in front of her, his gaze holding her confused and fearful one. "We're taking you back home, we're going back home, and nothing and no one will stand in our way."

"...Go away...Go away...You're not real..."

She didn't believe him, Natsu didn't know why she had such a hard time accepting that they were really here for her. He frowned when she kept repeating that he was nothing more than a fragment, a image needed to create the seals, that he had to be one. Natsu lifted his hand only to drop it when Lisanna flinched as if she was expecting to be hit by him, onyx eyes closed for a moment as he took a second to leash the boiling rage. This was Lisanna, the Lisanna that never showed fear, the Lisanna that always smiled and always tried her to be best to be the most optimistic person in the room. This was Lisanna, the women who always seemed to radiate so many different colors, that she tended to brighten a room by merely being present. "Lisanna? I promise, everything will be alright. We are getting the three of you out of here, you are going back to Fairy Tail."

"What did just you say?"

Natsu's dark eyes opened again meeting her blue orbs, her gaze seemed to be sharpening and finally focusing on his person. The salmon haired male knew that he had to approach this situation delicately, his expression softened his lips lifted in one of his most gentle smiles. "We are taking you back home, and we are going to bust your two friends out of here. We are going to free every single one of them. I will make it right, Lisanna...I promise, I will make it right."

Her mouth opened on a soft, surprised gasp.

Natsu followed her gaze when it dropped towards his right wrist and on to the black wrist band attached to it, it was next to the scarf around his neck, his most precious possession. He smiled recalling the events that had led to him being so attached to it, it was the second present he had ever received in his life, one that Lisanna had bought for him. She had used what little allowance she had to buy it, giving it to him on the one year anniversary of the day she'd met him, selfishly decided that, that day would be his birthday, as he couldn't remember his own. So, as proclaimed by Lisanna his birthday from that day on, was on the Twenty Fifth of May.

"You're really him aren't you? You're really Natsu? You actually came."

Natsu's lips lifted in his trademark grin, he didn't know what Lisanna saw in it nor did he understand why she decided to believe him now. And honestly it didn't matter, the most important thing was that she seemed to be more open to the idea that he was really here. "Of course, I am Natsu. Who else, was I supposed to be? I am Igneel's son, a Fire Dragon Slayer and proud member of Fiore strongest Guild, Fairy-" The rest of Natsu's sentence was lost when Lisanna dove towards him, burring her face in his chest, crying her heart out. "Lisanna? It will be alright, I promise, we are getting you, _all_ of you out of here. That we swear on our Guild Mark."

"I can't believe you're really here." She whispered clutching the fabric of his chest when the Dragon Slayer pulled her close, Lisanna sighed softly taking in the warmth radiating off of him. "You're warm as always, I have really missed you Natsu. I have missed all of you so, so much. I didn't think, I would ever get the chance to see you all again." Lisanna said through her tears, a soft laugh escaped her lips. "I am glad to see you, Natsu."

Natsu smiled pulling her even closer to his body, he could feel her tears soaking through the fabric of his vest. The Dragon Slayer sighed softly burring his nose in her hair taking in her scent, it was still Lisanna. Her spring like scent was still there, but under it or more laced through it, was a foreign scent. The same scent he had detected when she had stepped into the Ring. The one that was old, but not stale. It was ancient, like old parchment and long lost libraries and it was the complete opposite of Lisanna's natural scent. If Lisanna's scent reminded him of spring, the demon's reminded him of Winter.

The women in his arms tensed up, trying to pull away from him.

Natsu eased his hold on her, allowing her to fully pull away from him. Her blue eyes faced him for a moment, before they moved to something behind him. She had held his gaze for less than a second, but it had been enough for Natsu to recognize the look in her eyes, it had been sheer terror. He stood up, searching for the thing that had her so scared. His eyes landed on a brown haired male standing in the imperial box. "Who.."

"...Ackerman..."

That was him...The man that took her, the man that put that Demon in her body and the man that had broken her. Natsu felt his magic spike, as his anger rose. "...Lisanna, I promise, I'll make it up to you..." He was in the process of taking a step towards the source of all of Lisanna's problems when he felt the soft but firm hand grab him, the sudden move was enough to stop him in his action and turn around facing, the person that had stopped him.

"Don't."

Natsu smiled softly when he recognized her expression for what it was, worry for him and what he would do. The salmon haired male placed his left hand over the hand holding him and gently squeezed it. "I finally found you, I promised to always come looking for you and I finally found you. You are going home, Lisanna and I will burn anyone and anything that stands in my way."

"Then, burn me." Lisanna said clutching his wrist almost till the point of pain, her blue eyes seemed to glow as they flickered to gold before returning to her original eye color. "Because I will be the one standing in your way, he will make me attack you and I will...I can't _not_ obey, Natsu." Lisanna whispered dropping her head, her tears leaking out of her eyes. "Please, Natsu...Don't, don't make me hurt you, don't make me kill again..._Please_."

Natsu could feel every muscle and nerve in his body tense up at those words, he could feel the moment his control snapped and his Magic spiked even further, reaching new levels. Natsu had been angry before, he had been in an violent rage before. Future Rogue killing future Lucy in front of him, Jellal making Erza cry and the king of Edolas. But, this was different, Natsu didn't remember ever being _this_ angry, _this_ blood thirsty. His fire magic was seeping out of him, effecting the surroundings area. The volatile flames surrounding the two mages. They made her kill? _He_ made her kill? It was as that thought formed in his mind, that Rin's words returned.

_"That Star Ball is a part of the Fox's Soul, which makes it also a part of Lisanna's soul. Anyone who has claimed that item, can control her in any way they desire." _

Natsu took a deep breath forcing himself to calm down and willing his flames to disappear, he sighed opening his eyes and meeting Lisanna's concerned gaze. "Hey? It will be alright, I promise." He smiled softly hoping to ease her worries and erase that fear reflected in her eyes. "I won't let anyone control you, I won't let anyone make you do something that you don't want to. And, Lisanna? I won't fight you and I won't let you fight me."

"...You..." Lisanna started her eyes once again filling tears. "...You don't understand...It's not _me_ you will be fighting...It's not even both of _us_...It's _her_...And _her_ alone." Lisanna said her blue eyes flickered between the color blue and gold, the white haired women eased her hold on his wrist. "...I didn't...I didn't..." Lisanna gasped in pain gripping her head, stepping away from her childhood friend. "...No..._Don't_ touch me..."

Natsu stopped when she actually snarled at him, before taking another step towards the white haired women.

Lisanna hissed mumbling something under her breath, it took Natsu a while to realize that she was repeating a name over and over again. It was almost as if she was clinging to it as if it was a life line. The Take-Over Mage's knees buckled under her causing the petite's women body to collapse on the ground, her body convulsing violently and scaring the hell out of her childhood friend. "...Saizo..." Lisanna whispered before opening her mouth releasing a silent scream of pain. "Nat..Su...Run..." Lisanna managed to whisper before another spasm racked through her body, the white haired women opened her mouth releasing a pained gasp.

"Don't be ridiculous, I am not running away nor will I be leaving you behind."

Lisanna gasped her blue eyes lifted up meeting the concerned gaze of her childhood friend. "...You...Have to...Fight..." She gasped again doubling over her head in her hands, Lisanna managed to stifle her cries of pain. She sighed managing to lift her gaze towards the salmon haired male reaching towards her. "...Don't touch me...Please, Natsu...Just back away from me or-" Her blue eyes flashed to gold and her pupils to slits. "...Go.."

"I already told-"

Lisanna's hands fell to the ground, rising back to her feet, her blue eyes were alternating between the colors blue and gold. "_Fight_ me. _Hate_ me. _Kill_ me." Lisanna's lips lifted a little forming a small and sad smile when she noticed the anger and refusal reflected in Natsu's eyes. "Do it, or _you_ won't _survive_ me..." That were the last words she managed to say as herself before Ackerman's order finally took control over her mind. "...Take-Over; _Gobi No Kitsune." _Lisanna's words were accompanied by a bright golden light and an tremendous burst of Magic, one that drew the attention of every single Mage present in the Ring and fixed it all on her person.

.

.

The golden light surrounding the Take-Over Mage flickered, dying out and revealing Lisanna in her new form.

Kitsune Soul was in fact one single Take-Over as it was one single entity, still Lisanna's appearance changed every time she extracted a different number of tails. The only things that were always consistent in her transformations, were the white with gold tipped Fox like ears and tails and her golden colored eyes. And that was it, every single tail came with its own Kimono and its own set of abilities and attributes. It was that what made it her most versatile and in many ways her most powerful Take-Over.

This time Lisanna was wearing a long white kimono without the right sleeve and exposed her right leg, the kimono was decorated with pink Sakura petals on the bottom and at the end of the left sleeve. The kimono was held together by a black belt and a yellow sash tied with a lose knot on right side allowing the ends of the sash to hand loosely down her leg. Lisanna's right arm sported a elbow length black finger-less fishnet glove and her legs were covered in black high heeled boots that ended just below her knees. Other than that Lisanna looked relatively the same, if and only if someone was willing to ignore the fox like ears and the five beautiful tails protruding from her back.

"...Lisanna..."

Golden eyes opened at the sound of her name, fixing their gaze on the salmon haired male, Lisanna tilted her head regarding Natsu for a moment before charging the unsuspecting male slamming her fist down, a fist that missed the Fire Mage with an inch. Lisanna didn't stop there as she was moving in with her next attack, by slamming her hand on the ground and pivoting on it, Lisanna kicked out with her left leg and would have managed to hit the startled male, if he hadn't leaped back.

"Lisanna, I'm _not_ fighting you-" The rest of Natsu's sentence was cut off by Lisanna who had charged him once again and had already reared her fist back before she threw it towards him. This time managing in actually hitting him, the force behind her fist send the startled Dragon Slayer cart wheeling head over heels for several feet before he crashed into the ground. "...Ouch..." Natsu mumbled before he cursed under his breath.

"..._**Natsu**_..."

That worried call drew the attention of Lisanna and fixed it on the blond women that had called, Lisanna turned around wanting attack her when she heard her name being called again. Her cold gaze returned to the Fire Mage and though she didn't need to respond to him, Lisanna found herself opening her mouth and giving him some kind of reply. "..._**I**_ am not _**her**_..." Lisanna said hoping that he would understand that she wouldn't be herself for long and that he needed to take her out before she fell fully under the effects of Ackerman's order. "You would be wise to remember that. Also you would be better off if you tried to defend yourself."

"I already told you, I am not fighting you."

Lisanna's eyes narrowed wondering just what it would take for him to understand that, that wasn't an option. She was still present, Lisanna was still capable of forming her own thoughts and though she could hear Ackerman's order in the back of her mind, it was still somewhat subtle and it would take a few minutes for the full order to take effect. She had to make sure that Natsu took her down, before then. "Why are you acting like you have a choice?" Lisanna asked sounding colder with the second, her golden eyes shifted towards the Celestial Mage. "Very well then, I'll focus on someone who will at least give me some form of amusement."

"Amusement?"

This was good, she had to show him...Show them _all_, just what it was she became. She was a monster and someone unworthy of being in Fairy Tail. "Yes, amusement...Fun? Something one can enjoy?" Lisanna's said mentally ordering her tails to generate Fox-Fire, it went unseen by the two Mages standing in front of her and it wasn't until she lifted her hand and allowed the ball of energy to form in its palm that they were alerted to the fact that she was preparing herself for her next attack. "Ever been on the receiving end of Fox-Fire? As the creator of this technique, I can tell you that it's not nice. It always leaves one with...Well with...Hmm Ah, yes it leaves with nothing. Absolutely nothing. "

Golden eyes glinted.

Natsu's expression filled with horror when he realized who her target was, the Dragon Slayer moved diving towards his friend and pushing the Celestial Mage to the ground. His fast reflexes allowed them both to narrowly evade being hit by the torrent of bluish flames, flames that incinerated everything they came in contact with. "That...That was close, Lucy you alright?" Natsu asked without removing his eyes from Lisanna, or what appeared to be Lisanna. "Just what did they do to her?" He shifted his gaze when he felt Lucy's soft touch, he frowned when he saw the tears glistering in her eyes, she didn't want to fight her friend. "We won't-"

Lisanna took a step before vanishing from their sight. It was her scent that reached him first and it was that allowed him to maneuver Lucy and himself out of the range of her attack, Lisanna's leg slammed down on the ground with enough force to shatter and create a man size crater. "...Huh...You evaded that? Not bad, but can you keep doing that? Just how long do you think you can play this game?" Lisanna felt the pull of the order as it tried to drag her down and fill her senses with the need to kill them. Not yet...Not yet, she had to hold on a little longer...Just a little longer. "You'll have to attack me sooner or later, or none of you will survive this."

"I don't want to fight you, Lisanna..._We_ don't want to fight you."

Lisanna lifted herself back to her feet, taking only a moment to push the voice ringing in her head back down. She needed to get them to attack her, to see her as an enemy and she had to do it now. That damn voice was getting louder, Lisanna released even more magic deciding to just show them what it was that they were up against and hoping that they would realize that it was better to just kill her right now. "Foolish humans, let's see just how long you and your friends can keep this charade up, shall we?"

Not long it seemed.

The Dragon Slayer was getting tired with only evading her, unlike Lisanna who had no claims against going in for the kill. She was turning brutal with each passing second, while Natsu had been able to evade her in the beginning with ease he was soon realizing that it was becoming harder and harder, Lisanna was barely giving him time to recover. "...Lisanna...Please...Fight it...You don't want to do this...So, please try to fight it."

_...Fight what..._

Lisanna wondered moving in for another hit managing to slam her elbow against his jaw and sending him back with several feet. The youngest member of the Take-Over siblings followed her prey and send him barreling back down to the ground with a very painful and brutal drop kick to the gut. Lisanna's golden eyes glowed brightly filling with something close to sadistic joy and pleasure. "...Mustn't...Mustn't disappoint...Kill...Kill..."

"_**Kill them all and use excessive force"**_

The white haired women could feel herself fall deeper and deeper under the effects of the Star Ball, Lisanna wasn't even holding back anymore nor was she giving her opponent the chance to evade her. With every attack and every move she made, she was drawing more and more of her Kitsune Magic and with that falling more and more under Ackerman's control. It was for that reason that she couldn't even recall what she had been planning, what did she want him to do again?

**"...Proof to me that you are mine..."**

Lisanna dropped to her knees evading the spell that someone had send her way, if she had been somewhat present she would have noticed that the attack was off by a few feet but she wasn't and she saw that as an attack on her person, so she turned in the direction the spell came from. Her golden eyes fell on a brown haired women holding a few cards. "Stupid...Human..." Lisanna mumbled pushing herself back to her feet and launching herself towards the brown haired women, who hadn't expected such an immediate respond. "Kitsune..." Lisanna started lifting her hand and aiming it towards the brunette. "...Bi..." She finished the spell but wasn't able to release it, as she was forced to evade another attack that was off by a couple feet, but still managed to distract her. "Fire...Dragon...You" Her cold gaze turned towards the Dragon Slayer, forgetting all about the women she had been previously interested in and charged him again.

"Lisanna, try to hold on a little longer? They will come through, so please just try to fight it a little longer."

She wondered just briefly who he was referring to and why it would make any difference, but it was briefly as that single thought was soon over taken by the order to kill everyone in sight and kill them with excessive force, so she continued to charge the salmon haired male.

.

.

.

She was fast and she was _deadly_.

That was one word Natsu never thought he would associate with his childhood friend, Lisanna was someone who radiated kindness and acceptances. She was capable of forgiving anyone and anything for just about anything, as long as they showed true remorse and a willingness to better themselves, Lisanna was willing to put everything behind her and start over. It had been one of her most admiring traits and the one thing that Natsu had and still liked most about her.

To see her, like this.

Natsu ducked under her sweeping leg and blocked another hit from her hand, his onyx eyes met her cold gaze and it struck him that he couldn't read her. For the first time in a long time, Natsu had the feeling that he didn't know who Lisanna was and that was something that hurt him more than anything else. They had done this to her, this had happened because he hadn't been able to keep his promise..._Because_ he had failed, her.

He had failed _again_.

Lisanna growled a sound closer to that of an animal than anything a human could possible make and slammed a concentrated orb of magic into his stomach sending Natsu back with several feet. The white haired women smirked and was in the process of finishing her attack off with another spell, when a blast of lighting hit the ground in front of her breaking through her concentration. "...Tsk...You ruined it." Her cold gaze moved landing on the blond male behind the attack and charged him before leaping into the air as she decided that he would be her next target. "Tsuki No Mai; _Ichishiki -Mikazuki_ (Dance of the Moon; _First Ceremony-Crescent Moon_.)"

The white haired women rotated in the air creating something close to a silver fog that seemed to be contained in wave like patterns around her legs, the silver mist was being formed with each and every turn Lisanna made and the faster she spun, the solider it seemed to become. It was for that reason that it wasn't long before she had multiple silver trails floating around her legs, a silver trail that seemed to glitter in the bright sun.

A dance.

That was what the attack resembled, it was or more it _looked_ elegant and beautiful and not all dangerous. Which was the whole purpose of the technique, it hide the sheer deadliness that surrounded it. By the time people realized that it was powerful and deadly attack making its way towards them, it was often too late and that was the same mistake her opponent made. He took one second too long to decide, whether it was better to evade her or to try and block whatever it was she was sending his way. By the time he had decided that it was better to evade it, Lisanna had already kicked down sending her attack towards the scarred blond.

The lighting Mage cried out in pain.

It took Natsu and the others a while to realize that what Lisanna had send towards Laxus, wasn't a wind nor a snow based attack. It was something else entirely and it something that they'd never seen or even heard off, it was something that explained why that attack of hers seemed to be glistering in the sun. It was, or it _were_ thousands and thousands of crescent shaped blades, that were cutting into the powerful Lightning Mage.

Lisanna landed on the ground and she was already moving towards her next target before anyone could blink, appearing behind Evergreen and slamming the brunette into the ground. "...Kitsune..." Lisanna started but cut herself off by leaping away from the brunette and evading the wooden dolls charging her. "...Annoying..." She landed in a crouch, her golden eyes fixing their gaze on the masked man that was controlling them.

"Lisanna..."

The women moved before the second letter of her name was uttered by the Seith Mage charging him, it took her a few seconds to cross the distance and appear in front of him. Her golden eyes caught the shock and surprise in his eyes and if Lisanna had been aware of the situation, she would have hesitated but she wasn't as the only thing in her mind was Ackerman's order ringing loud and clear, overruling everything else. "Kit-"

"...Fire Dragon's Roar..."

Lisanna was fast and extremely agile, the women was suspended in air and still she managed to evade the attack Natsu had send in between her and her target. She growled landing on the ground and twisting in the direction that attack came from and not even thinking twice about leaving her back unprotected she charged the Dragon Slayer. "...Kill...Kill...Kill...I shall kill you all...The order doesn't matter, you all will die here."

He would kill him.

Natsu would kill Ackerman with his bare hands, there was no way he would give that bastard the mercy of being burned alive. He would kill him and he would do that very slowly, Ackerman would pay with his life for what he did to her, for what they made her do and for what they forced her to become and this place, Natsu would burn this place to ground, he would burn it all, he wouldn't even allow one stone unburned. "Lisanna-"

Fast.

She was so damn fast. Natsu didn't even know _when_ she had crossed the entire Arena nor _when_ exactly she had formed that attack she called Fox-Fire, but Lisanna was already standing in front of him and moving in to attack, Natsu didn't want to do it but she wasn't really giving him a choice in the matter. Mentally asking her to forgive him, Natsu lifted his leg and slammed it against her sending her back with several feet. "...Damned."

Lisanna twisted mid air landing on her hand before rotating and landing on her feet, feet that barely touched the ground before she was already charging him again.

This wasn't working, Lisanna wasn't backing down and they could only hold her back for so long. If this continued on like this, they would have to fight her for real and that was something that no one wanted. Damned, what was taking the others so long? He ducked under her arm and blocked her leg from colliding with his chest. "...Fuck..." He winced when he heard his bones crack, this was ridiculous. She was getting stronger and stronger with the minute, the more magic she drew the less Lisanna...The less _human_ she became. "...Lisanna can you hear me?" His eyes widened when she moved her fist towards his stomach, he leaped back.

She hissed.

Natsu's eyes moved towards Lucy who was holding the whip that came with Taurus Form and Lisanna's siblings who were being held back Bickslow and Cana. He shook his head, silently telling Lucy to stay out of it and not to draw Lisanna's attention on her person, all he had to was hold on a little longer. Just a little longer, just until the others collected that Star Ball and freed Lisanna from that damn doctor's control. "...Lisanna..."

Her gaze fixated itself on him.

She was _looking_ at him but she wasn't _seeing_ him, just like Lisanna was capable of _hearing_ him but wasn't _listening_ to him. Natsu doubted that Lisanna even knew who she was trying to kill, her merciless persuasion and single minded focus had told him that she only cared for taking the one standing in front of her out of the running. It was why she'd no problems with switching targets, only returning to one, if they drew her attention. The Dragon Slayer took a step backwards when she took one towards him and prepared himself for her next move, Lisanna took another step towards him before kicking off the ground and launching towards him.

Natsu leaped backwards evading her fist and blocking the next attack from her knee.

Lisanna smirked her golden eyes glinting, her mouth opened and she uttered the first part of her curse. "Noroi No Kitsune; Seime-" The ears on top of her head twitched, her golden eyes narrowed in either anger or annoyance, Natsu didn't know but it could be a combination of the two. Lisanna moved her leg and used Natsu as a stepping stone to send herself flying into the air, cart wheeling out the range of the attack. "Annoying."

"Mirajane?"

Lisanna shifted her gaze towards her sister, regarding her for a moment and re-assessing the situation. The white haired women lifted herself back to her feet and didn't think twice before charging her sister, a sister she didn't even recognize and one whose eyes widened in shock. "...Stupid...Humans..." Lisanna hissed leaping into the air and aiming her hands at her sister. "Kitsune-Bi." She said sending that Fox fire towards her sister.

Natsu eyes widened when Elfman jumped in front of his sister and took the brunt of the attack.

Lisanna on the other hand wasn't faced as she charged them both as soon as her feet hit the ground only to turn midway and grab a hold of the whip sailing towards her. "...Tsk..." Lisanna pulled the white whip and the blond women towards her, startling the Celestial Mage with amount of strength behind that pull. "Kitsune.." Lisanna started aiming her left hand at the women flying through the air. "...Bi..." She said released the spell.

.

.

"..._**Lucy**_..."

The bluish spell flew towards Lucy but instead of colliding against her, the spell hit an water barrier vaporizing it but leaving Lucy safe and sound. The blond women sighed in relief glad to have managed to escape being taken down by that spell, her brown eyes widened when she realized that Lisanna had released her hold on the whip and with that she lost the momentum that had held her suspended in the air. "...Oh, come one..." Lucy screamed as she crashed back down to the ground, this wasn't her day...Actually this day could go down as the worst day in history. "...Damned..." She turned around not wanting to land on her back and break it.

She winced as she hit the ground.

Lucy groaned pushing herself up to her knees and wondering who had just saved her life, her brown eyes moved landing on the blond haired male and the Water Mage who was part of Lisanna's team. Her eyes widened in shock when she realized that he had taken a risk in saving her life, his collar was sparking like crazy sending current after current of electricity through his body. "...Why did-" Lucy started only to be cut off by Natsu's warning alerting her to the fact that Lisanna was moving towards her, her gaze flew back landing on the rapid approaching women. "...Fast..." Lucy pushed herself to her feet before rolling out of the way of Lisanna's incoming hand, her brown eyes widened when she realized that Lisanna was now sporting claws..._Claws_ that had just ripped the ground she'd been standing on apart. "...Wow...That's some manicure..."

Golden eyes turned towards her.

The Celestial Mage dove backwards evading the kick Lisanna aimed at her and managed to prevent Lisanna's claws from splitting her face open. Using the strength that came with Taurus's Form Lucy managed to push the white haired women away from herself and used the seconds Lisanna needed to recover, to distance herself from her friend and pull out another Key. "Star Dress; Leo Form." Lucy placed the golden key on her chest and switched forms,discarding Taurus Key and using Leo's.

The western like attire she was previously wearing was replaced by the Star Dress of Leo's Form. As Lucy was now donning a elegant black frilled gown with attachable sleeves, the dress seemed to be held together by the golden sash tied around her hips, while the left side of the dress sported a thigh high slit. Around her neck, Lucy had a frilled choker and her feet were placed in black heels. Lucy's hair had also changed to fit the more elegant form, of Leo. Her hair was now done in a quaint bun which was held together with a black flower and finally one could spot, Leo's Zodiac on her right breast.

Lucy managed to switch forms just in time, to evade Lisanna's attack and prepare her own counter attack. She lifted her hand, encasing it with Regulus. "I'm sorry.." Lucy said just before slamming it towards Lisanna sending the other women back with several feet, Lucy winced when her friend crashed into the ground and rolled over twice before she managed to rotate her body and land on her haunches. "...Oops...I over did it a little..." Lucy flinched when golden eyes glared at her. "I am really sorry?" Lucy tried to appease the angry women, but it seemed that she wasn't willing to accept her apology.

Lisanna stood up and charged her again.

Lucy could barely keep up with Lisanna's attacks, was it her or was she getting faster and faster with the minute? She moved gracefully and she was very deadly, Lisanna would come at her with punch after punch. Lunge at her with her claws or she would spin around for a kick. Lucy managed to keep up with her because she was currently in Leo Form and she was glad that she had the foresight to switch forms. Taurus was physically powerful but she would have been unable to keep up with Lisanna's speed and agility.

She was adapting.

Lucy realized that as soon as she moved in to block Lisanna's next punch, instead of moving in for another attack. Lisanna decided to use her hand to grab a hold of Lucy and pull her towards her, locking her arm in such a way that she almost snapped Lucy's bones before she rammed her knee into the side of her head. The blow was hard enough to send Lucy to the ground immobilizing the blond for a short period of time. In the distance, Lucy could hear Natsu call for her and Lisanna, but Lucy knew that she wouldn't be able to react in time and Lisanna wouldn't stop her attack.

Was this is the end?

Lisanna's hand which was holding the bluish colored spell moved towards Lucy but just before it could connect with her face, the hand stopped it's descend. "...Lu...Cy..." Lisanna whispered her golden eyes widened in shock and horror when she realized she was holding a spell over her face, Lisanna deactivated the spell and backed away from the blond lying on the ground. "...Oh...God...I am sorry..." Lisanna's form flickered her transformation vanishing and returning Lisanna back to her human form. "...Lucy...I am so sorry...I tried..." Lisanna lifted her hands gripping her head looking like she was ready to pull her hair out and actually pass out.

Lucy's eyes widened when she saw her friend swaying on her feet, ignoring the pain rocketing through her body Lucy dove towards Lisanna managing to partly catch her. Lucy who hadn't really been prepared for the extra weight went down with her. "...Lisanna...Lisanna? Are you okay? Please, say something?" Lucy cried out trying to get some reaction out of her, she smiled in relief when Lisanna's blue eyes met her concerned gaze. "Are-"

"...Hurt..." Lisanna said lifting her hand and placing it against the blonds' cheek, Lisanna frowned in worry. "...Did I do that to you?" Lisanna asked softly sounding so broken and sad that Lucy's heart clenched, she smiled softly when the blond shook her head. "...But I did hurt the others...I nearly killed Laxus and...And I attacked, Elf-Niichan...Wounded Evergreen and Natsu..." Her blue eyes widened filling with tears. "...What have I-"

Lucy pulled the white haired women in a bone crushing hug, it wasn't her fault. This place was to blame, the people running this place were to blame and it was their own fault. It was their fault for not trying harder and finding her sooner. They would make it up to her and destroying this place was the first thing they could do for her, they'd make an example out of them. No one messed with their family and got away with it, _**no one**_.

Hell hath no fury like a Fairy scorned.

* * *

_A/N: And we have reached the end of the fifth chapter, it took me a while but I couldn't decide where to end this chapter and I've re-written the last part at least five times. Each time vastly different than the last, I decided that I had to make a decision or this chapter would never posted. I am quite happy about it, it was by far the hardest chapter I written...Hmm, something tells me that every chapter from this point on will be hard. All, that aside, I hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review telling me what you think or what I can do better. (I already know my grammar sucks, but everything other than that? Is welcome)_

_I hope to see you all in the next chapter of Juubi No Kitsune, till next time..._


	6. Chapter 6

A/N; Welcome back everyone, I hope you all have enjoyed your Holliday's and you aren't too upset with school and work starting again. I know I am :) So, let's start this by me saying, "**A Happy New year everyone, I hope this Year will turn out to be one that your goals (resolutions) will be realized**." So, New Year's wishes aside, I once again welcome you to the next installment of Juubi No Kitsune, Chapter number Six.

I still can't believe I managed to finish this chapter, it took me little over a month and the only thing I did was, delete, type, delete and type in an endless cycle of growling at my Laptop screen and scaring loved ones away. But, I finally decided to just go with this one and I will be honest, it is nothing like the first draft (One I can't even remember) but it's better as it now feels like a story, one that flows better and doesn't throw you all over the place. (At least I hope, it is) So, I hope you can enjoy this chapter and please, as always share your thoughts of what you thought about this one. This chapter is a relative calm one, at least compared to both four and five. To everyone that has read, reviewed and favorite/alerted this story, thank you very much. As always, your support makes my day and pushed me to work even harder and no not disappoint you all.

**Maiden Warrior;** You're reviews are a delight, you always make my day with your kind words. I absolutely love the way you perceive Ackerman, and you are right he is full of himself. I am glad, I managed to convey that in the chapter, he is one of the more complicated characters to write as no one really knows what he is thinking. As for the Nali moments, they will only get more and more bitter sweet from now on, those two have a very long way to go and I am having fun with what I have planned for them. I will be addressing a few things, the Manga didn't give us and I will be also touching on some things, Hiro has brushed over. So, do sit back and watch how your pairing will try to deal with everything that has changed in them and their relationship.

Coming from you as someone who isn't Lucy's biggest fan, hearing you say that she was amazing and that I did her justice. Is a praise I will take bowing down, so thank very much for those words. Lucy is a great character and someone who is more than fan service and a foil to Natsu, she grew a lot and I am proud of her and I will make sure to do both her and Lisanna justice. I want to show, that these two can share the spot light without viewing each other as Rivals and what not. They are friends and they like each other, I mean the Manga showed us, both Lucy and Lisanna having a few moments with no shred of animosity. Lucy is kick ass, Lisanna is kickass and together? Oh, I have plans for these two, so I hope you stick around and maybe, you'll end up liking Lucy a little more.

As for the Fox, next to Lisanna and Saizo she is my favorite character to write about, or in her case hint at. The Fox was till the last chapter a real enigma and she still is, but you will be learning a little more about her in this chapter, as from this chapter on forth the Fox will finally making her presence known. You will be able to see who and what she is (Not necessary in this chapter, but those following this one) She is powerful, yes but she is sadly stuck in Lisanna's body so she isn't really what she used to be...Or, is she? She and Lisanna will have their work cut out for them.

**LunarCycle;** Thank you so very much, for your kind review. I am glad that you enjoyed this story, the reason I started this story was to show that one can write a story about Lisanna without pulling Nalu in it and that both Lucy and Lisanna aren't rivals but friends and family, they care about each other and I wanted to show that, a story that portrays that exists. So, to thank me for that? Thank, you and I mean that, thank you so very much.

I don't know, where that idea came from. This need to portray Lisanna as an insecure girl that wallows in self pity, because Natsu and Lucy spend so much time together? Or, making her (Lisanna) out to be this vicious bitch that has no claims of ruining friendships, where in the Manga did Lisanna ever show jealousy? Or when did she and Lucy perceive each other as Rivals? I love Lisanna's character, and I love her due to her kindness and that is something the Manga has shown us, Lisanna is described as someone with a bright disposition and it's because of that, she is easily accepted by people.

I am relieved to hear that you like the OC's, it's always hard to put new characters in an existing world (You never know, how they will be received) so to hear, you say that they are different from each other and that they don't remind you of the members of Fairy Tail, is a weight from my chest. So, once again thank you for those words and I hope, you will stick around to see where all these characters are going on this journey.

**XYatogamiX and Rougish**; Thank you both for the review, as requested the sixth chapter of Juubi No Kitsune, I hope you will enjoy this chapter as much as the previous five. And, that you will stick around to see, what Lisanna will do and where she will go and a whole lot of other questions to be revealed.

**Kustine**; I agree, Lisanna is awesome and she will continue to shine in this story, I will do Lisanna as much justice as I possibly can. I hope, I will be able to enjoy this chapter and those that have yet to come.

**Airborne3**; Thank you for your review, one that convinced me to go and post this chapter. I hope, it's up to your expectation and that I don't disappoint.

As always me doesn't own Fairy Tail, I do own the plot, ideas and OC's of this little tale and that is about it. Now, that we have the legal side of things out of the way, I can tell you all to sit back and enjoy this chapter. A chapter that might have some grammar/spelling errors. In my defense, it has never been my best subject? Whatever, I was never good at it and I'll never will and that is perfectly fine with me.

* * *

There was something watching from the darkness.

It was a ancient and powerful being, one that was capable of great cruelty and was very vengeful. No one knew whether this being was from this world or another, no one knew how it managed to acquire so much power or how it became the only true immortal from its kind. All everyone knew was this creature was old, a being that had been here long before men and would probably still be here long after they were gone.

_**...Unforgivable...**_

The Silver colored Fox paced the space of her confinement going from one side to the another, the ancient creature was still reeling from her inability to not only resist the pull of her own Star Ball but that she'd also been unable to shield her Host from it. They'd been distracted, her Host had been so focused on convincing herself that her childhood friend wasn't here, that he wasn't standing before her. That she'd been forced to focus on him and determine whether he was another illusion or worse the physical manifestations of the Seals they used to extract her Tails. By the time both of them realized that he was real, that he was really here and standing before them, it'd been too late. Her host hadn't even been given the time to process it all before she was ripped away by that damn order, Ackerman had used her shock and their distraction against them.

It had taken everything in her power to protect the little human from the effects of that Star Ball and while she had been unable to ignore the order, she had been able to bend the rules and use the fact that the Star Ball was a part of her Soul in her favor. It was after all something that was created from a fragment of her soul and functioned as a container for her powers, something that never left her body unless she was possessing a Human, taking the shape of one -_or any other shape for that matter_-or in this case was forced into a mortal's body.

So, yes in a sense that Star Ball was _her_ and while anyone could use it to control her, they could never..._No one_ could ever order to do something that went against her Nature. Just like no one could force a rock to suddenly grew wings, no one could make her do something that she could not do or had _decided_ not to do. It sounded easy, but it was complicated as it had to be something that was truly embedded in her being.

She could think of two exceptions, there were only two things that Star Ball could never make her do.

No human or Demon possessing her Star Ball could ever make her kill her Clan or erase her Kin from the face of the planet. Oh, they could order her to do it and she would probably feel the effects of the Star Ball as it would wrap the order around her mind, but the moment the order would register and try to force her entire being to obey would be the moment she would be able to break free from its control and ignore the order.

The reason was quite simple and something that Humans tended forget, people often mistook her for a Kitsune. While it was true that her true form was that of silver/white Fox, she wasn't _a_ Kitsune. She was _The_ Kitsune, the Goddess, the First and Mother of her kind. It was _she_ that had created them from regular Foxes or more she had created the _first thirteen_ and it was them she had given her word to. She would always love and protect them against everything and she had included herself in it.

So, no one could make her do it.

Because attacking and harming her kin, would mean that she would have broken her word, it would mean she went back on a promise she had given. Which was something she was incapable of doing, it was something that was so entangled with who and what she was, that breaking her word tended to physically hurt her and at times drive her insane. It was something -_as annoying it was_\- that she'd come to accept as part of her being. She wasn't _allowed_ to go back on her word and so her Kin weren't allowed to go back on their word, it was a curse she had passed down on the First Thirteen and they had passed it down on their own offspring.

Kitsune's _never_ broke their word.

Oh, that didn't mean that some Kitsunes hadn't tried it, but those that had broken that ancient rule had paid the price, a hefty one. As each and every single one of them had turned mad till the point that they had committed suicide. Either by challenging a being stronger than themselves or by vaporizing their own core, it wasn't a pretty sight and it was one of the few things that could get a reaction out of her. She had never thought that it was possible for a Kitsune to use their own Fox Fire to end their own lives, but she had seen it enough times to know it was possible and consider it one of the most disturbing things she had seen in her long life.

It was that weakness that had made them one of the most dangerous trickster spirits in existence, it was because they couldn't break their word, that they made sure that their victim broke theirs first. It was the only way for a Kitsune to bypass that ancient rule, managing with that to take advantage of a weakness. Humans believed that they couldn't break their word and while that was true, it was also true that they wouldn't be breaking their word if their opponent had been the one to violate their agreement.

It was how she had been able to kill her Kin or punish members of her clan severely. It was because they had broken their word first, it was because they went against the rules she had established that she had been able to end a lot of them. So, she was capable of killing them, the thing was that she wasn't allowed to go against her own word and never break a promise she had made. It was annoying as hell, but she could live with it.

Especially if that was what had allowed her to keep Lisanna's friends alive, allowing them to see another day.

It was thanks to Lisanna's promise to herself, it was because she had sworn that she would never be a burden to her family and friends, had vowed to get stronger and find a way to protect them all as they had protected her, that she had been able to prevent herself from actually killing them. No matter how one looked at it, the two of them shared one single body. Lisanna was just as much a part of her, as she was of Lisanna.

But they weren't the same person.

Lisanna _wasn't_ the Star Ball and the only reason it affected her, was because it effected the Fox currently residing in her body. So, it didn't matter whether Lisanna was actually capable of killing someone or whether she'd promised someone to never harm them, the Star Ball didn't care about that because it wasn't Lisanna's Soul it was made from. It was made from the Fox's Soul and as long it didn't go against the Fox's nature, it didn't care and would wrap around her mind pushing her to do whatever the order was. _Lisanna_ was _incapable_ of killing the Fox's Kin but the _Fox_ could _easily_ _kill_ Lisanna's and do something that she'd promised not to do.

In a way it was unfair.

Which was probably why she had gone through so much trouble for the little human and why she had decided to possess her mind, usually the two of them lived in coexistence as two different beings sharing one single body and while they both had their private thoughts, they were capable of mentally communicating with each other. What she had done was in a sense violating the agreement they had made, one would never do something against the will of the other nor would they ever make a decision without both of them agreeing with it.

She hadn't given Lisanna the chance, to agree or disagree.

And while it was true that she hadn't had a choice and was short on time, it still didn't give her the right to do it. But..._But_ it had been the only way, the only way to spare the human women the pain of knowing that she had killed her family with her own two hands. This was after all the women that had broken down when she realized that she had killed a few of her fellow prisoners when they had been thrown with her in that cage. She had cried herself to sleep for weeks, blaming herself for something _she_ had no control over.

This...Killing her family would have ended up destroying her soul.

And while it would have probably allowed her to take full possession over this body, it wasn't something she desired. So, she had fused their minds together and she had used Lisanna's heart as a way to guide herself. She had used an promise Lisanna had made to herself as a way to bind herself to the Human's will -_how far the mighty had fallen_. It was Lisanna's vow to get stronger and to never be a burden to her friends that had saved them, she had been unable to prevent herself from actually hurting them but she had been able stop Lisanna from making the lethal hit.

The Silver/White Fox sighed softly, dropping herself down and facing the Silver Gates and one of the three mental barriers separating the two very different souls. It had been a risk to open Lisanna's mind like that but it had been the only way, she had to create that link or she wouldn't have been able to use the only weakness of the Star Ball in their favor. It seemed that Lisanna hadn't noticed anything and that was good, for now she wanted to keep this part a secret.

She would eventually tell the Human women about the loophole, but not until they were freed from Ackerman's hold.

The Fox closed her eyes extending her senses by using Lisanna's body as an amplifier, someone else had taken her Star Ball and whoever it was hadn't claimed the Star Ball. So, while Ackerman couldn't order them as easily as before, he was technically still the owner. Unless...Unless she could get her hands on it...No, she _had_ to get her hands on it...They had to get their hands on it. Ackerman would notice that the leash he had on her was loosening and it was doing it very fast.

Now, where was her precious Star Ball?

* * *

_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro_

_Time; Nearing the end of the fight between Lisanna and Fairy Tail. _

_Location; Kronos Underground Research and Detention Facility (Department Q)_

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Hoshi No Tama.

That was what Lisanna called and it meant Star Ball in the Language of the Eastern Empire, the region the Demon Fox hailed from. It was said to hold more than just the Fox's powers as it also contained the Fox's memories and at times even the knowledge it had accumulated throughout its long lifetime, making that single artifact the Ancient Fox's most valuable possession. It was because it was such an important item, that it rarely left the Fox's person and to make things even harder, it was an object one could only see and physically touch when and only when the Demon Fox was possessing a Human being or had taken the shape of one.

So, getting your hands on it was hard but not impossible.

And that was what Simon Ackerman had achieved, he'd managed to get his hands on it and unlike any other sane and suicidal person who would suggest a trade, one favor or wish in exchange for her Star Ball. Ackerman had done the one thing all stories about her advised against, the not so good doctor had forced the Fox into servitude, had bound the one being who was known to despise being held against her will in one single spot.

All because of this thing here.

The infamous Star Ball wasn't really what she'd expected it to be and though Rin had no idea what she'd been expecting, this was most certainly not it. For starters the Star Ball was in fact a bluish orb shaped jewel one that wasn't that much bigger than very large pearl, inside the jewel itself was something that resembled a white flame that seemed to be flickering alternating between very small and nearly undetectable to so large that it seemed to be filling the entire inside of the jewel with the eerie fog like substance.

Rin sighed reaching towards the small Item pulling it out of its confinement, her purple eyes widened when she saw the blue orb flash to amber before it returned back to its original color. "...Just what did it do? Did it change color?" Rin asked drawing the confused looks of both Freed and Levy on her person, Rin sighed again shaking her head and mumbling that it was nothing. "We should get going and get this little thing, to Lisanna."

"I agree, the sooner Lisanna regains control over her mind the better." Freed Justine said his green eyes moving towards the two Mages working as one to prevent any guard from passing them into the office Q113 and interfering with the mages working on breaking through the runes sealing the Star Ball inside the box. "I think that it might be wiser for someone to make their way to Erza and Gajeel and assist them, we can't risk it..."

Levy closed her eyes both in anger and fear for her friend, Freed didn't even need to complete his sentence for both Rin and herself to understand what he was referring to. The blue haired women sighed opening her eyes and shifting it towards the Earth Mage staring at the Jewel resting in her hand. "Rin? I think, Freed is right, it's better if one us heads towards Erza and Gajeel. Especially now, that the others have entered the Ring."

Ah, the others.

Rin had almost forgotten about them and the sudden and unexpected action they had taken, it seemed that Salamander had dived in the Ring _after_ he had been unable to watch Lisanna take that hit. It wasn't like she could blame him, Rin almost had a heart attack when she had seen Lisanna's transformation dissolve almost at the same time, that the War Beast had released his attack. The Take-Over Mage would have gotten severely hurt and even with the Fox's Healing abilities, Lisanna would have been out of it for a while.

The most frustrating thing was, that they didn't know how things had ended. The sponsors had cut of the footage, the moment they'd realized that it was Fairy Tail that was causing havoc in the Ring. So, for the last twenty minutes they'd been in the dark of what was going on, but they hadn't been too worried. The constant stream of Guards told them, what they needed to know. The Fairy Tail Mages were still alive and kicking.

Which meant, that it might be much better to just move towards Lisanna and actually drop the side mission of getting her hands on that damn and despicable drug. It was too dangerous for them to venture even deeper into this place, every second they took was one too many and besides, it wasn't worth the risk. Especially if she didn't know whether there was an antidote, Lisanna was almost dependable on that drug and that had been Ackerman's objective.

Lisanna _needed_ that Drug to dull her emotions, if she went without it for too long she would start to feel too much. The slightest shift in her emotions, would amplify her Magic and it were the feelings of anger and hate, that seemed to be always on the fore front of her outbursts. Lisanna could get so angry and enraged that she could kill someone in blind rage, something she has done every single time they'd put in her in that cage.

Tsk.

Damned, she couldn't just abandon this. Lisanna needed that damn thing, if she didn't take it, the Fox's anger would end up consuming her. But, what could she do? She couldn't just expect Lisanna to always take that Drug right? To be dependent on it for the rest of her life? No, putting aside the fact that Saizo would flay her alive and that her family would end up hunting her down, Rin wouldn't have been able to live with herself.

So, what could she do?

Leave this place and move towards Lisanna, and hope that she would be able to live with the occasional emotional outburst with deadly results? Actually make her way towards the Pharmacy and get her hands on a hand full of said drug and hope that it would be enough for Lisanna to live on? Damned, they both sounded like awful choices...They _were_ both awful choices, one would probably end up killing her, while the later would make her a drug addict who would be merely living for her next rush.

At least she had absented telling the Mages of Fairy Tail about that little detail, they would be able to just move towards Lisanna and they wouldn't be none the wiser. Oh, they would eventually find out, there was no way that they would be able to miss the rapid mood swings and the sheer shifting into the Fox, but..._But_ that would be a bridge she would have to cross later, right? Oh, wow, that was just downright bitchy, if not evil.

And just what was she thinking

Was she really debating whether it was better to make her suffer withdrawal symptoms, or make her even more dependent on a drug? She was, but what else could she do? Those were her only options, it wasn't like there was a antidote for it and didn't they say, that the best way to get off Drugs was by staying clear from it? Therapy and medication...Huh, wait a minute...There is no Antidote, but that doesn't mean we can't make-

"...So, what do you, say?"

The soft voice broke through her thoughts, pulling the attention of the Earth Mage on the green haired male that had asked her that question. "I don't see any problems. If the two of you think, that it might be wiser to assist Erza and Gajeel, then we shall. I don't think it will hinder our part of the operation so it's alright." Rin said shifting her faze towards the Levy. "Will you be able to find the Labs? Or do you need the makeshift map?"

"...Hmm...It's in the R Department, right?"

The Earth Mage nodded at the blue haired women's question. "It's but...I don't know how to say this, but there is absolute no logic in this place." Rin said confusing the two Mages but continuing on to explain what she meant with her words. "It's not like all the different Departments are in Alphabetic Order or even, that all the Letters of the Alphabet are Departments."

Levy sighed dropping her head and mumbling, why she had even thought that it would have been so simple and obvious, her hazel eyes lifted meeting amused purple ones. "...Oh, be quite you...It's not funny." Levy said drawing a smile from the other women. "Alright, then...Tell me, how do I get to this elusive **R** Department?"

"The first thing you need to know is that the entire facility has only Six Departments; **A**, **B**, **C**, **D** and **Q** and **R**." Rin started to explain how this entire place was build and how one got from point A to point B, without getting lost in the maze. "**A** is the main entrance of the facility and we passed through it when we cleared the Vortex, the only way to get into **A** is through the Vortex or through Department **B** and you don't want to go there."

Levy nodded deciding to just trust Rin's judgment and not question the reason, of why she was better off not going through that Department.

"Department **R**, is hard to reach and that is because **R**, contains the Labs and the...It contains the Labs." Rin's slight faltering there didn't go unnoticed by her two companions, but the two Mages decided to let it go and not pressure her, by asking her to reveal what is was that had brought on that look of utter contempt. "There are only two ways to get into **R** and that is either through Department **A**-_which is the centre room_\- or through Department **D**, which is a transport Chamber or more, it's a tunnel with a Rail Way connecting **D** with **R**, I personally don't want you near those tracks, as they guard it very well but we don't have much of a choice."

"I will be fine, trust me."

Rin sighed softly before allowing the soft smile to lift her lips upwards. "It's not that, you are Lisanna's friend and I really don't like the thought of sending you to the slaughter like some meek sheep." Rin sighed again before steering her resolve, if Levy said she could do it than she should trust Lisanna's trust in her friends. "Very well, Erza knows the way back to Department **A** and the exit. I will be taking the others through **C** which is the prison, which also happens to be the fastest way back to Arena."

"Don't worry, Erza and Gajeel are both powerful. I will be only going as support and if needed I will be focusing on locating those remotes, besides I think it's better if I join them and help them find their way back." Levy said grinning despite the severity of the situation they had found themselves in. "Erza is great and all, but she can be somewhat absentminded and Gajeel isn't the best navigator. So, I will be useful either way."

"You know the way back, then?"

Levy nodded looking almost insulted at the notion that she would ever forget something important like their means of escape, her narrowed eyes drew a wider smile from the Earth Mage. "Of course, I still remember the way we were supposed to go back, so if we lose the option of going through **A**, we will go back here and move on to **C**." Levy said standing up and dusting her denim skirt before turning around facing the two still blocking the entrance of the office. "Well then, shall we make ourselves scarce?"

"I have no problems with that, we've already completed one of our objectives, so there is no reason for us to linger here." Rin placed the jewel in the pocket of her black cargo pants, deciding that while it wasn't the best place to hold such a powerful artifact it was the one that allowed her to keep her eye on it. "Juvia? Gray? We're done here, which means there is no need to hold back, anymore. So, how about it? You two about ready, to blow this popsicle stand?"

The Ice user lifted his right hand, a smirk lifting his lips being happy to finally be able to let loose and make them pay for what they put Lisanna through, dark blue eyes narrowed both in concentration and in anger. "Ice Make; Silver." Gray's hand gesture was followed by a frigid air that instantly froze everything in sight before shifting his gaze towards the others. "So, Levy is heading towards Erza and Gajeel, the rest of us to Lisanna?"

His question reminded her once again of the dilemma she'd been facing, whether it was a good idea to venture deeper into this place, without actually knowing they could actually cure Lisanna. Was it even possible, to make a cure by just having the Drug? Rin sighed softly her purple gaze moving towards the black haired male. "How good is Porlyusica? I know she managed to heal my wounds, but in how far has Wendy helped her?"

Gray frowned wondering why on earth she brought that up, his blue eyes moved towards Juvia who was still standing with her back towards them and keeping an eye on the corridor. "Wendy gave you first aide and while it's true that Wendy has helped, Porlyusica is a very good medic with years of experience. Actually she is one of the best, there is almost nothing she can't cure."

"So, if I give her a potion or a drug, can she create an antidote?"

At first Gray didn't understand why she would even need to know the answer to that, according to Porlyusica she wasn't better but she was doing alright otherwise she wouldn't have been allowed to go with them and if she had been suffering from something, the scary old women would have told them. So, why? Why, did she look so desperate to know the answer. It took him a few seconds but he realized what had been fueling her question at the same time, that the others had. "I will kill them, if Natsu hasn't beaten me to it and hasn't completely destroyed the bastards, I will kill them myself and I will take an great amount of pleasure from it."

"You're kidding..._Please_, tell me that they didn't put something else in her body?"

Rin didn't reply instead she averted her gaze from them, she didn't know how to explain to them just what it was that they did here and that it had been Lisanna who had been treated the worst of all. It was Juvia's call that pulled their attention on her person, the Water Mage who looked pissed off and ready to explode asked them if it was alright to just take them all out in one swoop. "Yes...Though we need an Id card, if you can get your hands on it? Then we can get those pills before we move towards Lisanna. Although, I can take care-" Rin sentence was cut off a collective '_Hell no_' from the Fairy Tail Mages. "Very well, then. Let's move out then?"

"...Water Nebula..."

Rin couldn't stop the smirk from lifting her lips even if she had wanted to, it was such a joy to see those cowards to get a taste of their own medicine. "We need to take the Stairs on the end of the Hallway, the Pharmacy is one floor up and to get there, we will have to fight out way through a shit load of Guards and once we are there, we will be sitting ducks. At least until I find the right prescription and then I am not even talking about-"

"Rin? Stop worrying, we will do things as we always have done it, and that is face it with everything we got and we will succeed."

The green haired women sighed wondering why she had even tried to explain how much harder everything was going to become. Lisanna wasn't kidding when she said, that this was a Guild of live in the moment and did whatever they pleased, forcing everyone around them to either dance to their tune or just drop out. "Sorry, I forgot and it won't happen again." She smiled when Gray replied with good as the next time she wouldn't be forgiven so easily, before he turned assisting the Water Mage in removing a few Guards who were blocking their way out of this office. "...Ah, I wouldn't want you to, either..." Rin's whispered softly.

"Juvia will go, first?" It was uttered very much like a question but it was more an statement than anything else, Juvia believed that it was better if she went through those doors first. For one, because most attacks could just pass through her and second her Magic allowed her to just sweep dozens at the same time, with the most minimums off effort. "You will need more, than this to defeat Juvia." She said moving her hands slamming a few Guards against the wall, before leaping out the office and into the hallway. Her comrades followed close behind, arguing and seemingly competing about who's magic was doing the most damage and who's wasn't.

This Guild was odd and it surprised her, just how much she really wanted to take Lisanna's offer and join their ranks. "You're right, they're really, warm." Rin mumbled before setting off after the Fairy Tail Mages busy clearing the path for them. "Levy you'll be fine as long you evade the stairs and main hall, we'll make sure to draw as much attention on ourselves, as we possibly can. And be careful, don't do anything Gajeel would do?"

Levy's reply was lost in the blast that followed Freed's attack, but judging by the laugh she had managed to catch moments before the rune spell had detonated, it must have been something worth hearing. At the end of this, she would ask the Solid Script Mage what she had said.

At the end, huh?

Fairy Tail was really something else, they had managed to convert her from a cynic to a optimist, one that truly believed that believing in something, could get everything done. Rin lifted her gaze fixing it on the three Mages leading the way and making a path, cutting through the Guards and doctors like they were a meat cleaver and they were mere butter. "Huh, I'm really letting you guys do all the work. " Rin mumbled increasing her speed, moving pass Freed and Gray, closing in on Juvia and calling for her. "Three steps, can you stay at least three steps behind me? And please, don't lose your footing. It's about to get really bumpy, really fast."

Rin hadn't been joking when she had said, bumpy.

The three mages running behind her, could feel the ground under them shift according to her will and it was truly a sight, Rin wasn't Jura but she was a capable Mage and one that seemed to be breathing her Element. Her spells came so naturally to her that she could easily decide which part of the ground to collapse, or just how many earth spikes would drop down from the ceiling and she even managed to narrow the walls behind them, crushing those unfortunate enough to chase them down the hallway.

"..._**Gaea.**_..."

The Earth Mage's smirked when she heard the fearful call, this was how it was supposed to be. She was after all the Earth Mage of team Olympic, Rin was named after the Goddess of the Earth because she had shown such amazing prowess and talent with her Element. "Close...So, very close but out here, they call me Rin..._Rin Zhao_ and I am the Daughter of Hei and Jun Zhao, fucking remember that name. Because it is the name, of the one who shall end you."

Death came fast for them.

Rin had unleashed every bit of anger and anguish she had felt, unleashed the shame she had felt when they had beaten her within an inch of her life. Every bit of emotion she had felt in those five years came pouring out of her and this time, there was no limiter in place to keep the emotionally raging women in check. "Rupture..." That was all the green haired women said and that had been enough, to set the effects in motion, the ground under their feet rumbled before it broke apart and took the unfortunate Guards standing before them causing them to fall into the black depths beneath Sub level Zero. "Three steps, I need to create the path."

"Juvia understands, Rin-San just focus on leading us through this Maze, Juvia and the others will back you up." Juvia's gaze shifted when they heard the pounding footsteps, the blue haired women sighed moving in front of Rin and into a fighting stance prepared to deal with the next batch of Guards that decided to stand in their way. "To move pass this point and for Rin-San, to create our path we must defeat them fast, right?"

The Rune Mage sighed moving in position by stepping up next to Juvia who was focusing on the area on the other side of the gaping hole, that had swallowed the Guards that had decided to stand in their way. "Yes, or we'll be stuck here for the rest of the day and I've no desire spending even one more second in this place, the faster we can get to Lisanna and put this place behind us, the better. " Freed said unsheathing his sword.

"It's time to show these fools, why exactly we are called Fiore's strongest and most reckless Guild. Let's show them, let's make them feel what happens to those that dare to mess with our family." Gray Fullbuster's words were met with two determined nods from the both Freed and Juvia, who looked ready to take the head of the next person that rubbed them the wrong way. "Let's unleash Hell, upon all of them, shall we?"

Right after those words, the first few enemies appeared.

It was a common known fact that one should at least give one the chance to defend themselves or at least give them the choice, of either surrendering or fighting for their lives. Now, the four Mages weren't planning to give up, that single thought hadn't even crossed their minds, but the Guards aiming their Magic rifles didn't know that. Still they decided to go with the shoot first, ask questions later, approach. "_Set_..._Aim_ and **Fire**!"

Rin dropped herself to ground at the same time the leader had uttered his first word, slamming both hands on the floor and sending her magic into it, something that allowed her to pull the concrete up creating a solid shield against the magical bullets. "Leave defense to me, the rest of you focus on attacking them with all you've got." The Earth Mage said from behind the Fairy Tail Mages. "I promise I won't let a single thing pass me."

True to her word, Rin didn't allow a single attack to pass her wall.

Rin wasn't just good when it came to giving backup and providing assistance, she was the best. A Mage that could do her job very well and do that, without getting in anyone's way, slowing them down or even distracting them from the task at hand. It was an ability or more it was an talent, that allowed her to be known as Gaea of _The Absolute Defense_ and it was something she prided herself in. "Juvia, I need you to cover me? Will you-"

"Of course, please Rin-San don't be ridiculous."

The Earth Mage smiled gratefully silently thanking the Water Mage before shifting her gaze towards the two males, who both gave her a look that screamed whether she was really planning to ask them if it was alright to drop their primary defense. Rin sighed realizing not for the first time, that Lisanna's habits and reasoning's were something that she shared with all the members of her Guild. "Alright, I understand. I'm dropping it, in three...Two...One..." The wall dropped so fast that the few remaining Guards jumped backwards in shock and worry of what they would unleash on them _this time_ and that was the only distraction, Rin needed as she had already moved pass the two males and towards the chasm, every step she took she was pulling the ground with her and creating a small path big enough to allow one person at a time to cross it. "You idiots, are in our way. So, get lost, already."

Her words weren't liked by the dozen or so people blocking their way towards the stairs, if anything Rin seemed to have pissed them off.

"Water Cane." The whip like attack snapped pass Rin slamming into the group of guards standing closest to the Earth Mage, the Water Mage was running a few paces behind Rin and focusing on taking anyone and anything getting to close to Rin, out of the running. "Gray-Sama?" As always Juvia didn't need to say much for Gray to understand what she wanted and to what she was referring to, as his magic already formed a wall shielding both women from the next barrage of bullets, it was only after the Ice wall dropped that Juvia leaped past Rin and over part of the dark gaping chasm, Rin hadn't covered with her magic. "...Water Slicer..."

It was water, still the attack was sharp enough to not only slice through those standing at the spot she would land, but one stray water blade hit the wall slicing through it with the same ease one ripped through paper.

The Water Mage landed in a crouch on the other side of the chasm and in the middle of the enemy forces, her lips lifted in a smirk when they aimed at her in fear and shot there Rifles, only to nearly piss their pants when they realized that all their bullets had passed through her body."Juvia's body is made out of water, there is no way your bullets would ever harm Juvia." The Fairy Tail Mage pushed herself up, kicking one women away before focusing on the seven surrounding her. "You..._You_ have done something unforgivable, you have hurt, Juvia's friend."

One of the masked guards stepped away from her.

"You _alone_ are the ones, Juvia shall never forgive." Juvia's words were ice cold and it was in this moment that she finally revealed why it was she became an S-Class mage and was one of the feared Elemental Four of Phantom. "For taking and harming our friend, you can count on the fact that we will make you pay a hundred times over." Immediately following those words was an powerful attack of a Water Spell. "...Water...Claw..."

Rin smirked stepping up next to Juvia standing over the motionless Guards, purple eyes lifted towards the remaining three Guards who were still debating whether they should take their chances against them or make a run for it. "Ah, I'm sorry but I am the least kindest person here. There is no way, I would even allow you to leave this place." Rin's lips lifted in a smile that promised nothing but pain, despair and death. "So, who is next?"

No one really waited for their answer, as all four Mages attacked the three remaining Guards simultaneously and with one of their strongest spells. It might have been overkill, but it wasn't like a single one of them was bothered by that fact. They deserved all the pain in the world and then some more, for what they did to Lisanna, to everyone imprisonment in here, and they were more than willing to hand it to them on a silver platter.

For their crimes against their family, they would pay.

* * *

_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro_

_Location; Kronos Underground Research and Detention Facility (Department R) _

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Levy stepped over a body of a man lying on the ground, her hazel eyes moved across the long corridor and the many unconscious people lying all over the place. The Solid Mage sighed, realizing that she had been right to meet up with both Erza and Gajeel, those two had never heard of holding back. She tilted her head when she heard Gajeel's voice cursing anyone and anything that was willing to listen to his rant. "Really, those two."

"-And I am telling you, it's not here."

It wasn't that hard finding the two Mages, all she had to do was take the corner and her eyes already fell on the Erza standing in front of the double doors and chocking a women to death. "What is not here?" Levy asked drawing the attention of Erza on her person, she smiled when the beautiful redhead frowned. "We ran in some trouble, this place is crawling with Guards but I see that you already noticed that. So, what isn't here?"

"Lisanna?"

At the name of the Take Over Mage, Levy's half smile dropped. "She is fine for now, but Rin and the others went to the Pharmacy." She clenched her fists when Erza asked why on earth they would decide to go there and not move towards Lisanna as that had been the plan. "We need an antidote for Lisanna and the only way for Porlyusica to make it, is by getting whatever it was that they have been putting in her body, back with us."

"_Antidote_?"

Levy nodded her eyes closing for a moment, before they opened and faced the Re-Quip Mage. "Rin hasn't been clear on the details, but judging by her expression and unwillingness to talk? It must be very bad, but we're no idiots and we could gather this much, they've drugged Lisanna with something very bad and there doesn't seem to be antidote, at least not here. So, we need Porlyusica to make one with a sample of the drug."

"...Hah..."

Both Erza and Levy faced the women extended above the ground, the black haired doctor opened her eyes smirking down on the Re-Quip Mage. "What is so funny?" Erza snapped tightening her chokehold. "Exactly, what in her words, would you find so amusing?"

"You really think that you can just come in here and take her away? Really think, that giving her an antidote will safe her? That getting your hands on that remote will free her from the shackles we bound her with? Actually belief that you've what it takes to oppose this place? That you can convince her that she can live peacefully?" The women asked mocking them, her lips lifted in an very taunting smirk. "Don't make me laugh, that women will _never_ be free, she will _never_ be safe and that is because she is _XY-324_ and she is Master's property. She is a means to an end...A _weapon_ and our ticket to take over this world and reform it, she ours to use."

There weren't many things that could shock Levy in to silence, nor was she someone who'd ever gotten so angry that she wished to physically harm someone. But this..._This_, managed to do both things. Listening to the words of this women, had managed to anger her so much that she was just to shocked to move. "...How..." Levy started but trailed off when she noticed the dangerous change that had taken place in Erza's demeanor.

Erza Scarlet 's brown eyes lost all sense of emotion, filling for the first time that day with the real desire to kill someone. "_Property_? Did you just refer to Lisanna, as property? As a weapon?" The Re-Quip Mage asked softly not really caring for anything other than the fact that one of her friends had been reduced to an object and was currently being the denied the right to be seen as a human being. "Her name is _Lisanna Strauss_-"

The black haired women gasped for breath, when the red haired women tightened her chokehold, again.

"-She is a sister, a friend, a proud and very loved member of the Guild Fairy Tail. _**Lisanna Strauss**_ is a Take-Over Mage practicing Animal Soul and she is by far one of the kindest souls on the planet. She is caring, patient and forgiving. A women always in for a good time, possessing a great sense of humor and a mischief streak. _**That**_ is who she is and you shall never, ever refer to her as anything less than her _name_; _**Lisanna Strauss**_."

Erza could feel her anger turn in rage and she did nothing to leash it down, and why would she?

_This_ women had the gall to pretend like it was their right, as if Lisanna and everyone else in this place were entitled to them, in some way or other. What was worse, and the one thing that was fueling her rage was the fact they this bitch didn't see anything wrong with what they were doing. And why on earth would she? Would they? This was after all benefiting them, who cared about who they were screwing over in the process.

As long as it was working and gaining results, they would continue.

Titania's eyes which had fluttered shut in sheer anger, opened again and in them one could see nothing but the waste lands of Hell. It was like, her brown eyes became the Gate Way leading into that damned place. "It's alright that you forgot her name, I will make sure that you will remember it. That when you close your eyes, _Lisanna Strauss_ will be all you be seeing." The words of Fairy Tail's strongest women echoed, through the halls.

And like someone being condemned to spend an eternity in Hell, the Doctor started to struggle, her eyes filling for the first time with something close to terror.

"You better pray, that she will make it fast and that she won't take her time with you." Levy said her voice uncharacteristically cold and laced with venom, before moving pass Erza and entering the space beyond the double doors. "...Personally, I hope she will make you suffer." She whispered softly working very hard to hold back the tears of anger and sadness at bay, crying over this right now wouldn't do anyone good, her sandals tapped on the tiled floor as she made her way towards where she believed Gajeel to be. "Gajeel where...Oh, there you are-" She stopped when she spotted him sitting on the ground. "Uhm..._What_ happened here?"

The dark haired male looked up, his ruby red eyes hard, softening only a little when he saw the scratches on her body. "Are you alright? Some of those wounds, don't look so good." He frowned when the Solid Script Mage smiled softly kneeling down next to him and facing the various remotes scattered across the ground. "I _can't_ find it, I still need to find that of Lisanna but it isn't here and none of those bastards are willing to talk."

"...I think that might be because, they are unconscious?" Levy said revering to a group of four Doctors lying out cold on the ground, her hazel eyes moved towards the dark haired male rummaging through the next batch of Remotes. "Maybe you should, haven't hit them out cold, and we wouldn't be having this problem?"

Gajeel looked up facing her with something close to a glare, before returning it back towards the remotes gracing the tiled floors. "Trust me, we kept them around for a very, and I mean very long time. But they reached a point, where they all decided that it was better to keep their traps shut. "Gajeel nodded towards the open doors and the hall Erza was occupying with the object of her rage. "Doc over there, is the last one standing."

"...Oh...Is she, now?" Levy said a smile lifting her lips before tilting her head and moving her gaze towards where she knew, Erza was. "Did you hear, that? It seems, that she is the last one standing, which means that she is currently the only one with the information we need, so why won't we ask her where we can find Lisanna's Remote."

The women known as Titania chuckled darkly, taking a moment to drop the women she was holding on the ground. "Ah...I hear you, don't worry, I will make her talk...I don't care how long it will take me." Erza said before re-Quipping once again this time choosing for her Armadura Fairy Armor. "Now then, shall we begin?" Erza asked smirking when the older women crawled away from her. "This is one of my most powerful Armors and it's one that bears the same name as my Guild. Do you know, why I chosen for this specific Armor to hand you, your punishment?"

Levy ignored the women crying out in fear, demanding to be left alone and for Erza not to take one single step towards her. The blue haired women shifted her gaze towards Gajeel who was still desperately looking for the remote bearing Lisanna's 'number'. "Did you find the Remotes of her teammates?" Levy asked tilting her head when Gajeel nodded in the positive. "Did you de-activate them?" She frowned when he shook his head this time in the negative. "Huh? Why, not?"

"And risk them, using Lisanna as a way to keep those two in check?"

Levy smiled realizing once again that he cared about all of them, no matter how much he would try to deny it and be all Tsundere about it. "Alright, it kind of makes sense. Lisanna is seen as their most prized..." She shook her head not wanting to use the word possession after she'd heard that women talk about Lisanna like she wasn't a person. "She is very important to their entire project, or more she is the project. So, it would-"

"-Make sense for them, to stash it somewhere a little bit more secure." Gajeel said finishing her sentence, he smirked standing up and removing the two black objects from his beige pants. "They look like this, they have a safety lock, so you don't have to worry about accidently blowing them up." He said lifting one of the two remotes and showing it to her. "They have three buttons with the letters; **D**, which stands for Detonation. **S** which stands for Sanction and the final one is, **T** which is turn off."

Levy raised an questionable eyebrow, wondering how on earth he even knew that.

"Oh, they were willing to explain it when I put one of those collars around, one's neck. I even tested it, it did turn off, so lucky him." Gajeel said replacing both remotes in his pockets. "The thing is, that they were willing to die as opposed to talk about Lisanna or that remote, something about rather dying then facing whoever this '_Master_' is." Gajeel shifted his gaze towards the double doors and the direction the female doctor's pained screams were coming from. "Erza ask her, where they keep the most important and dangerous stuff? We believe that, that is the place where they stashed Lisanna's remote."

"Ah, leave it to me."

Gajeel shifted his gaze towards Levy who was staring at all the remotes, lying on the ground. "We'll try to help them all, but first let's focus on Lisanna, shall we?" Gajeel said, it wasn't that he didn't care but it was more that right now, it was Lisanna who was the most important to them and they would never do anything to risk her life more than they'd already done by coming here. "They'll pay for what they did, that much I can promise you."

"I know...Thank you, Gajeel."

The Iron Dragon Slayer nodded looking slightly uncomfortable before shifting his gaze away and towards the hallway, holding Erza and her victim. They needed patience and approach this whole thing delicately, and while patience wasn't one of his strong suit, he was willing to wait a little longer. He would do anything and everything to ensure the safety of those closest to him and right now, that meant not to rush in head first.

Besides.

Salamander would never forgive him if Lisanna ended up dying because a mistake he'd made. Hell, he wouldn't have forgiven himself, if she ended up dying because of him. He had sworn, he _vowed_ to make sure that he would always protect those closest to him...That he would fight for those in the Guild, the people who had accepted him and ended up caring about him. "We will get her back, Salamander, I promise that we will."

"Huh? Did you say something?"

Gajeel shook his head at Levy's question, frowning when she laughed mumbling something under her breath. "What is it?" He frowned when she shook her head, saying that she was happy for him. "Huh? What does that supposed to mean?" He sighed when the Solid Script Mage shrugged moving towards the entrance of the Labs when Erza called out for them. "Women, I'll never understand them." Gajeel mumbled before following Levy towards the waiting Re-Quip Mage. "And did, the fine Doctor, share something important?" Gajeel asked stepping up next to Levy who was watching Erza threaten the black haired female Doctor.

"There is a vault, we will find Lisanna's remote there."

Levy's expression conveyed exactly what she thought of the situation, the petite women frowned not knowing whether she should give the cowering women the benefit of the doubt. "And, you really believe her?" She tilted her head when Erza replied that she didn't but that they were taking her as insurance, if she'd lied then she would end up dying, simple as that. "Hmm...Alright, that sounds fair, enough." Levy said knowing full well that Erza would never take someone's life and neither would any Mage in the Guild, but the one cowering on the ground didn't know that and she didn't need to know that either. "So, where can we find, this Vault?"

"In section R4 and while it's a bit off course, we will be able to find it easily."

Gajeel frowned recalling that they were currently in Section R13, he sighed realizing that it was more than a bit off. "So, does the annoying women know of a short cut? Because, we are not going through Sections twelve till five, are we? That will take as almost forever and we don't have the luxury to take, our sweet time."

"We can steal one of those Magic Carts, all we need is an Id, right? And look at this, we have someone who carries one with her."

Erza smirked liking the sound of Levy's idea very much, brown eyes shifted towards their ticket to Section R4. "Well then, we will be looking forward to working with you." Erza said causing the young women to whimper in fear, the redhead leaned towards the women grabbing the collar of her blouse and lifting her off the ground with such ease, one would think that the women weighted around the same as a paper towel. "Shall, we?"

"You...You won't get away with this."

It would have been better if she hadn't said anything and would have just let Erza manhandle her, her words which were said in a flash of defiance would be something that would cost her. The S-Class ranked Mage's brown eyes narrowed dangerously, the air around her seemed to pulse with both power and killer intent. "Oh? We won't get away with this? What is _this_, exactly? And isn't that our line? You, angered the one Guild you shouldn't anger, the ones who won't get away with this, are you and your Master."

The black haired women's eyes widened in fear, her gaze shifting towards the pierced male who was looking at her like her could eat her, chew her up and then spit her out again, before it went towards the blue haired women who was glaring at her in a way that promised nothing but pain. "You...You...You are all fools, you can never beat Ackerman and you can't begin to imagine, the sheer power and might, that is our Master."

"It doesn't matter, who or what it is." Erza said slamming the dark haired women into the wall, not even caring when she saw the pain flash across her face. "Anyone and anything, that hurts our family. Will suffer the consequences, it's as simple as that." The Re-Quip Mage removed her prisoner from the wall before placing her on the ground, keeping a firm hold on her arm. "Now, lead us to the carts and don't think of crossing us."

The three Fairy Tail Mages were quite, as they made their way through the long and dark corridor, their resolve was set and nothing and no one would stand in their way. They would, get their hands on that remote, they would turn it off and they would take their family member home and then they would level this place to the ground. It wasn't just a promise, it was a vow and oath, each and every single one made to themselves.

Lisanna was_ coming_ home.

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A/N; And we have finally reached the end of Chapter Six and unlike the previous two chapters, it's a chapter that is relatively calm as it's more a filler chapter as opposed to something that moves the plot along. I wasn't planning to post but after reading **Airborne3's** review I figured that you guys would really like to know what was happening with Rin and the others. (_Thank you for the idea, I think I would have regretted if I didn't add it in the overall story_) It was a good thing that I didn't end up fully deleting the second half of this chapter, one that was part of the previous chapter and I decided to delete in the final draft. While it did help me with knowing what I wanted in this chapter, it made the overall flow of the story a pain in the ass to work out. But, I managed. I don't know how, but I managed it and I'm glad I did. ( I did right? The overall flow of the chapter, makes sense, right?)

Anyhow, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and do share what your thoughts were, I love hearing from you guys and it can help me make this an even better story. So, the only thing I have to say is, till the next installment of Juubi No Kitsune.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N; I can't believe I have already seven chapters down, and this tale is nowhere near over. This chapter brings us back to the main group, and I can say this chapter is fast paced? There is quite a lot going down, almost makes the last chapter look like a walk in the park (writing wise) I personally enjoyed this chapter, and the good thing is that I have a solid plot line I wish to follow. So, while I wasn't planning on posting the previous chapter, it didn't make things harder, if anything it made things a whole lot easier. (Airborne3, I want to once again thank you, for giving me that extra push.) Well, my ramblings, aside. Please, sit and enjoy the chapter.

We all know, that I don't own Fairy Tail. But, I am going to once again remind us all of that fact, I _**don't**_ own Fairy Tail in any way, shape or form. I wish, I did. Lisanna would have a bigger role, her magic is interesting. Which is probably why I am already plotting another story with her. (One I will start, as soon I completed this story) She deserves some representation on this site, so I will be probably flooding her section. Also, I want to remind everyone, that my grammar and spelling aren't the best. So you might come across, some mistakes.

**Maiden Warrior**; It took me three times to actually realize that what I was reading, was actually written there. I honestly don't know what to say, except that you made my week with that review and that it's by far one of the kindest things anyone has ever said to me. You honestly left me speechless and that is a first, for me. Thank you for your kind words, thank you for your support and thank you for always managing to make my day how bad or hectic it may have been and most off all thank you, for always taking the time to leave me a review with your thoughts. I love reading them, as they always manage to bring a smile on my face.

Don't worry about Ackerman, he will get what's coming to him and if not, I am always willing to leave him at your mercy. Though, I almost feel bad for leaving him in your hands. I have this feeling, that you will come up with something way worse and more satisfying, than I ever could. You are free to share your ideas with me, I am curious to know how you would finish him off, if you ever had the chance.

**Airborne3**; It seems that you are on to me, you are right about Fairy Tail, it's not in them to actually kill someone. So, it won't be a Fairy Tail Mage who will do any of the killing, if there are any. They will make sure that everyone involved in this, will pay for what they did not only to Lisanna but to everyone they have used and imprisonment.

**XYatogamiX**; You have no idea how happy that makes me, every chapter seems to be getting more complex and I am always worried that I can't get across everything I actually want. Which always makes me think, that the chapter might be lacking something. Which is why I am so glad to hear, that you think the chapters are getting better and better. You are not the only one who was happy to show how the retrieval team was doing, I personally was also glad that I decided to expand on it.

**LunarCycle**; You are making me sound like I am very cruel, but oddly that makes me happy. I am glad that I am making you want to know more, it tells me that I am actually doing what I set out to do and that was create a story that can hold someone's attention and make them want to know what happens, next. Ah, this Master they are referring to, who in the world is he? I know and you will soon find out, don't worry I will make sure it will be worth the wait. So, all I can say is; please stick around, sit back and watch this story unfold.

I also want to thank everyone else who has read this story, followed it or put it under their favorites.

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_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro._

_Location; Maximus Coliseum._

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.

_...To...Tight...Can't...Breath..._

Lisanna Strauss and member of the Fairy Tail Guild, decided against telling the Celestial Mage that she was being crushed in her arms, either Lucy didn't know her own strength or she was afraid that she would disappear if she loosened her hold. The white haired women smiled sadly realizing that it was the latter, Lisanna lifted her hands and placed it them on her friends arms. "...Lucy...Are...Are you crying?" She asked her voice sounded somewhat muffled. "Why are _you_ crying?"

"I...I'm just so happy to see you."

Lisanna's lips lifted in her first _real_ smile since she had helped Rin escape all those days ago, it was really strange, how happy those words made her. How seven words could manage to warm her soul and cast away the numbness she had felt from the moment she had stolen that War Beast's life force. "Thank you, Lucy. I...Is it alright to be a little selfish? It's just that I want to stay like, for a little while longer...I promise, it won't be to long. It's...It's just that you are so warm, it's nice and safe."

Gentle arms tightened their hold on the woman they were holding, pulling her even closer if that was possible. "...Idiot..." The blond chocked on that word, pressing her face in the white locks of her friends. "...Don't be ridiculous...Of course it's alright...Why, wouldn't it be? We can stay like this for as long as you want, Lisanna."

Blue eyes fell shut as she allowed herself to bask in the warmth and comfort her friend offered her, Lisanna didn't know how long she had made Lucy hold her but it must have been some time as the next thing she knew was that she was surrounded by the people she had called her family, the Take-Over Mage pulled herself back from the hug. "Guys.." The white haired woman started looking ashamed and pained, her blue eyes burning with unshed tears, as she whispered her words. "I'm sorry-"

"...**.Liss**...**Move**..."

The youngest member of the Take-Over siblings, reacted faster than one could blink to those words, moving and pushing Lucy to the ground before anyone could even register the warning. "Take-Over; _Yonbi No Kitsune_." Lisanna words sounded desperate as she cried out the name of her Magic and the Form she wanted to use, as always those words were accompanied by a bright light that covered her body as her magic was activated. "Tsuki No Mai; _ichishiki- Tsuki No Kagami (Dance of the Moon; First Ceremony- Moon Mirror/Mirror of the Moon)" _Lisanna had already cast her defense spell, even before her Take-Over had been complete. And it was for _that_ reason that she managed to pull the barrier up and protect the friends, whom were still kneeling behind her.

Like all the spells of _Tsuki No Mai_ or at least those she had access to, Lisanna was forced to rotate or move, creating a dance so to speak. It wasn't optional, it was a requirement and Lisanna had learned firsthand that it wouldn't work if she didn't do everything exactly as the Fox's instincts had told her. Lisanna who had leaped over Lucy and had landed on her hands, rotated on the spot while at the same time spreading the four tails that this form was named after.

It was a combination of her legs and tails, that formed a silver ribbon like trail that resembled her earlier attack, but unlike the previous spell this one seemed to be actually forming something as opposed to just hovering around her legs, the silver ribbons were forming a spiral barrier around her and as it gained more and more substance with every turn Lisanna made, the barrier would also increase in strength. Knowing that she didn't have much time and just had a mere seconds left, to prevent the attack from hitting the Mages located behind her. Lisanna forced herself to increase her speed, by using Fox Fire and keeping it concentrated around her legs.

The flames of the spell, allowed her to propel herself even faster, completing the turns, managing to at least create the first two layers of her barrier. Lisanna winced when the opposing spell slammed into the silver dome forcing her back and nearly down to the ground, but she managed to keep her balance by digging her claws into the ground. Lisanna forced her tails to expand before spinning three of them out, creating three more silver trails and adding them to the already struggling barrier, while it hadn't been enough to keep the barrier active and prevent it from shattering under the pressure of the spell, Lisanna had been able to block the initial attack.

Close.

That one had been to close for comfort, Lisanna thought as she flipped over landing on her feet and blocked the drop kick aimed at her head. "Gotcha." Lisanna said slamming the brown haired male into the ground, while at the same time moving in with her left hand which was encased with Fox Fire fully planning to incapacitate him but changing her mind at the last second, or more she switched targets by aiming at the person that popped up behind her and was moving in to attack, Lisanna slammed her hand backwards and into the chest of the women. "Forgive me for this, it's going to hurt, a lot." She said releasing her hold on the deadly spell.

"...Fuck you..."

Lisanna smiled when the blue haired women cursed before being send backwards by the backlash that came with detonating that spell point blank. "While I am flattered, I must inform you that I don't swing that way-" She cursed when she sensed the man she'd been holding down had shifted his body, moving in with his leg to kick the slightly distracted women in the chest with a blade that had popped out of his boot. "...Wow..." She released her hold on him before throwing herself backwards and into a backwards cartwheel, moving out the range of the sharp blade, landing in a crouch next Lucy who had pushed herself back to her feet. "...Close..."

"I have a very bad feeling, about this."

The Take-Over Mage agreed with her friend, Lisanna sighed pushing herself back to her feet, facing the brown haired male standing a couple a feet away. "I wish I could tell you, that you are imagining it-" Lisanna cut herself of when Koga kicked off the ground charging at her before slamming his fist down towards her, the white haired women moved her arm blocking the devastating blow. "Rude as always, I see." Lisanna said moving up with her other hand to hit him, when her ears pricked alerting her to the fact that something was moving towards at a rapid speed.

...Danger...

Lisanna cursed pushing Koga away while at the same time throwing herself out of the range of the attack, before moving in to intercept the next barrage of attacks, by lifting her arms and shielding her face with the long sleeves of her Kimono, catching the Shurikans with the Fox's Robe. 'This so annoying, not to say, such a pain."

Golden eyes glinted dangerously.

Lisanna sighed swinging her arm out and sending the Shurikans flying away, her eyes shifted when she sensed someone else charging her and she was already responding to it, when her eyes widened at the sudden interference. "...What..." Lisanna blinked recognizing the black haired women stepping on the young man, burying him into the ground. "...Mira...Nee..." She started taking a step towards her sister, only to be distracted when she sensed someone else charging her.

This was starting to work, on her nerves.

Golden eyes narrowed as their owner prepared herself to intercept the incoming attack, an attack that never came as it was intercepted by a Mage, other than Lisanna. The white haired woman's eyes widened once again in shock, when they spotted the brown haired woman. "...Cana..."

"...Tsk...How pathetic. All of you charging one single women, like that." The Daughter of Fairy Tail's strongest Mage said as she moved in front of the younger woman, her brown eyes glaring down at the man her spell had hit. "Huh, isn't that a little cowardly? Why, won't you idiots play nice and show us, some pride? And the damn decency to take someone in a battle _one_ on _one_." Cana Alberona said looking more than ready to take anyone on for a spin down to hell, she snapped her cards out as she readied herself to attack once again.

Lisanna didn't know when or even _how_, everyone with the exception of Lucy and Natsu had moved and managed to pair themselves with an opponent. But, that was what they had done, they had managed to corner all the Members of the Dread Knights, even Loretta whom she had send flying backwards had returned and was now facing off against Evergreen -_a Evergreen who looked fine, thank god_. Lisanna also spotted her brother and Laxus facing off against three more Knights, which reminded her of something else she been wondering. How, on earth had they managed to regain their consciousness, let alone find the strength to face off against a few enemies?

It didn't make sense.

She had been completely out of it, only regaining some semblance of control when she had been seconds away from burning Lucy's face off. Lisanna winced when she remembered that, she really needed to apologize to the blond and she would have to find a way to make it up to every single one of them. Because, she was certain that she had done more damage with her actions than with the actual attacks. She blinked when something occurred to her, something important. "Huh, wait a minute..."

_How_, had she regained control?

Ackerman hadn't released her from that order and she couldn't have snapped out of it, at least not without completing her objective. So, how had she managed to regain control? How, had she managed to realize what she was doing and stop herself from killing her friend? Did, Ackerman decide against, it? No, that was ridiculous. There was a bigger chance the world, would end right at this moment than, Ackerman having a change of heart.

So, how?

Lisanna closed her eyes withdrawing to the deepest parts of her mind, reaching out towards Fox's essence and trying to locate the shard that was connected to the Star Ball. This, was odd and it almost scared her, the part connected to the Star Ball was calm and what was even more disturbing was that she didn't recognize the handprint on it...It _wasn't_ Ackerman...It was someone else and Lisanna couldn't place who this person, was. Which was odd, if Ackerman had lost his hold on the Star Ball, Lisanna should be able to tell who new holder of her Star Ball, was.

...No, wait...Ackerman hadn't lost his hold on the Star Ball, he was till her owner and he could still, order her around. It was just not as strong as before and if he wanted her to do something, he would have to work a little harder...His dominance over the Star Ball was weakening and it was weakening slowly but surely.

So, someone else, took it?

The Fox responded to her mental question, confirming her suspicion. The only reason she'd managed to stop herself from killing Lucy and had regained control, was because someone else had taken the Star Ball and with that had interfered with Ackerman's order. Ackerman was _still_ capable of ordering them around, at least he would be unless this new person decided to claim it for themselves. Which, meant they were still screwed.

_But, this is odd._

Why would they take the Star Ball and not claim it? Why, not try to assert their dominance over her? Weren't they aware of what they had gotten their hands on? The power it gave them? The things they could force her to do, what they could achieve? No, that was ridiculous. Whoever it was, had broken in Ackerman's office and had managed to bypass the runes set in place to protect the Star Ball against prying eyes and anyone who would try to steal it. So, whoever they were had managed to find out where the Star Ball was located, shatter the runes _and_ get their hands on the item.

But, they hadn't claimed it? It didn't make sense, why would one go through all that trouble and not-

Lisanna's train of thoughts broke off when she felt the tug of an new order, she groaned clutching her head in her hands and pushing the voice of Ackerman down and out of her mind. She could feel it, those words wrap around her mind and constrict her own will, holding it and trapping her in that dangerous web of control. "...Damn.."

..._Get the Fuck out of my head..._

The Take-Over Mage worked hard on freeing herself from the mental strings that were trying to wrap around her mind, Lisanna focused on the part of her that was connected to the Star Ball and used every ounce of will she had to push that order away, it took her a few moments but she finally managed to release herself from it.

_...This is bad, he will notice that I managed to ignore it...Damned, this is dangerous. He will assert more and more power with each and every new order..._

Her friends were working so hard to get her back home, her friends who hadn't even once looked at her like she was a monster. They had taken her change in stride and hadn't even tried to harm her when she had been so driven to kill them, they were still here and willing to stand by her. They had stepped in when the Dread Knights had targeted her and they were still fighting to keep them away from her. She, could not let herself fall under the effects of that Star Ball. _Not_, when they were working so hard to proof to her that she could and would go back home. _Not_, when they shown her that, there was nothing to forgive her for.

_I truly, don't deserve any of them. _

That thought sadly didn't make things any easier for her, Lisanna knew that she had to move and take action right away. Ackerman would realize that he wasn't the sole owner of the Star Ball anymore, he would notice that she was capable of ignoring his orders. Which meant that he would assert more and more, power behind his words and as long this person, hadn't claimed it for themselves, asserted their dominance over the Star Ball, which in turn asserted it over the Fox and her. Lisanna was still at the mercy of Ackerman, or god forbid this person changed their mind and decided to claim it for themselves. Lisanna didn't know whether she was better off under Ackerman's thumb or this person, and she had no desire finding that out.

_Then, we will have to get our hands on it. _

Lisanna focused extending her senses on searching for her Star Ball, noticing that the Fox had shared the same mindset and had her feelers already out. It was for that reason, that they managed to locate the powerful object almost immediately. It was still in the Facility but oddly, it wasn't moving towards the exits but it was making its way even deeper into the facility. Why? What, purpose did they have to venture so far in the labs?

It didn't matter.

The white haired women sighed opening her eyes, hating the thought of leaving her friends to deal with the mess known as the Dread Knights on their own. But, she didn't have a choice. The alternative, was worse. Way, worse. If Lisanna hoped to protect them against the biggest threat on this Island, she had to regain autonomy over herself. "...Tsk...It's way off and it's moving fast...It's seems I don't have a choice, a short cut it's." Lisanna mumbled making up her mind. "You two help the others, I will be right back...I just need a moment to take care of something."

"...Lis-"

Lisanna didn't even notice that Natsu had been reaching towards her, when she kicked off the ground and dashed away, startling not only him but the rest of the Fairy Tail Mages. "Vincent, seal it off and protect them." She called out making a run towards the Imperial Box and drawing the attention of not only Vincent and Saizo, but also the Guards and War Beasts they've been facing. "Don't let them through, I am counting you...Thanks, Vincent. You are a doll."

* * *

She was gone.

Natsu didn't even hesitate already making chase before she had even called out her request, she was leaving them behind. Natsu had no idea, why he had the feeling that if he didn't go after her now, that he would lose her forever. "...Lisanna..." The Dragon Slayer called out but his childhood friend wasn't listening as she was already leaping over the balustrade before she disappeared out of his sight. "Damned it all to hell."

_Where was she going? What could have drawn her attention like that? _

Natsu's onyx eyes fell on the blond male, who looked at first startled, then annoyed before his expression made way for a resigned one, he sighed turning around facing them, with a look of apology. This was bad, he had to get pass him and he had to get pass him fast, Natsu didn't know what Lisanna had asked of him, but it had to be something she trusted enough to keep them here, besides he didn't trust those words. Seal it off.

"Seal it off and protect them she says, that is one fucking tall request."

Natsu's eyes widened when he saw the collar around the tall male's neck spark violently, he was releasing more Magic than the collar allowed? Damned, he increased his speed dashing across the Arena in a record time. He gritted his teeth when one of the Guards the blond had been facing charged him, onyx eyes filled with anger and desperation. "...I don't have time for you, get the fuck out of my way..." Natsu snapped slamming the masked man down into the ground and continuing on like he hadn't just taken someone out of the running.

"...Water-" The blonds' eyes shot open as he lifted his hands before slamming them together, a move that caused the air surrounding his hands to pulse. "-Wall..." His words were followed by the air being filled with thousand water bubbles morphing together to form a massive wave of water, one that floated out of his hands and extended outwards to form a barrier that was meant to seal the Arena off from the rest of the world.

The Dragon Slayer cursed as he slammed another three guards down, he had to catch up with her...He just had to, he would lose her. He was certain of that.

Natsu's magic spiked when someone else decided to stand in his way, his eyes gained an eerie glow as he lost the last semblance of control he had. "Why won't you fuckers, get out of my fucking way." Natsu asked as he slammed one women into the ground and continued to force her further in to the ground until he had buried the unfortunate soul. "Don't stand in my way." His eyes lifted up, hoping against all hope that the barrier hadn't been completed and that he wouldn't be forced to attack Lisanna's friend, because he would.

He would put him down if it meant he could make his way towards the Take-Over Mage.

The man that was known as Neptune didn't look to well, whatever he was doing was asking a lot of effort. "Damned...To, damn slow..." The blond hissed looking like he was in severe pain and with the collar around his neck, sparking like crazy it was expected. His blue eyes moved in the direction, Lisanna had disappeared in. "Damned, you owe me, Liss...You owe me big time. Remember that-" The rest of his sentence was lost when something drew his attention, blue eyes widened in shock. "What the fuck..." He leaped back when Natsu had launched himself towards him, using him as a stepping stone to reach the imperial box. ''...The fuck...Oi...What is wrong with-"

Natsu called out an apology, before disappearing in the corridors that lead into the inside of the Arena. "...Lisanna..." He called wondering just how fast she had become, it hadn't been more than a minute, since she had taken this route and the corridor was long. Still, Natsu couldn't spot the Take-Over Mage. "Damned, where is she, going?" Natsu wondered honing on her scent on following it, it was probably he was so worried about her, that it took him a while to notice the slight difference in the scent he was trailing.

Winter.

Laced through Lisanna's Spring like scent was that other scent, the one that reminded him of the cold, of something ancient and something dark. Lisanna's own scent was still the dominant one, but it that other scent was more detectable.

What did that mean?

That the Demon residing in her body was close to the surface? That it was the Demon that was now in control off Lisanna's body? No, Lisanna had been the one who had given that order and it had been Lisanna who had told them she needed to take care of something. Take, care of what? What could she want to do, that she couldn't ask for their help? Did, she think that they would shun her, if she told them what it she was thinking?

"...Natsu..."

The Dragon Slayer shifted his gaze but he didn't slow down, his onyx falling on the blond haired women making chase and following him down the corridors. "...Lucy?" He smiled when he realized that she had decided to join and help him. "She is close, just around the corner." He turned around when Lucy nodded before increasing his speed, knowing that Lucy would manage to keep up. "Just what is it, that she wants to do?"

"I don't know, but she looked desperate."

Lucy was right, Natsu thought as he took the corner spotting her almost immediately running several feet ahead of them. "...Lisanna..." Natsu called out, hoping that this time she would respond but alas, the white haired women didn't even seem to hear him, instead she increased her speed leaping of a couple of stairs leading a floor down and disappearing from sight. "Damned." Natsu cursed jumping down into the darkness and taking a moment to locate her, finding her already halfway across the hallway. "...Just how fast is she? And where is she, going?" He asked again, Lisanna had always been fast and agile, but this was bordering on ridiculous. "...**Lisanna**..."

"Lisanna! Please, slow down!" Lucy called out to her friend, but to no avail as the other women continued to race down the long corridors, leading them further and further into the Arena. "...Lisanna?" Lucy called again when she saw the Take-Over Mage release her blue colored spell, blasting the metal doors at the end of the hall out if its hinges. "Just, where are you going?" Lucy asked herself, following Natsu who was following Lisanna.

Natsu jumped over the still burning doors and followed Lisanna beyond metal expanse and down the next flight of stairs, it took him a few moments to catch sight of her.

The white haired women was already kicking down the next Metal doors down that had been separating this space from the one laying beyond it, disappearing from sight for the few seconds it took Natsu and Lucy to reach the metal door frame and pass through it, catching once again sight of her as she ran down the next three flight of stairs.

"This isn't the Arena. Is she going back, to the Facility? Why, on earth would she want to go back, there?" Natsu called back to Lucy hoping that she could somehow explain, Lisanna's irrational actions.

"I don't know." Lucy who was doing a good job with keeping up with the two insanely fast Mages said, her brown eyes narrowing in thought as she went through the various possibilities. "She said, that she needed to take care of something, it has to be important enough, that she didn't want us to follow her. But, still it doesn't explain why she isn't responding to our calls. I am certain she can hear us, I think everyone here, can hear us."

Natsu frowned, wondering what it was that she wanted to do down there, and most off all, why wasn't she responding to them. Wasn't she in control? Was the Demon who resided in her body, the one steering her? Was, that the reason that she wasn't responding to them? And, what the fuck? Just how fast, is she? It seemed that she was getting faster and faster with every passing second, it took him effort to keep her in sight.

Just what kind of abilities, did that demon Fox give her?

Blue lightning sparked, flashing past both Natsu and Lucy and slammed into the ground a couple of feet in front of Lisanna, the sudden attack managed to do what both Mages had been unable to do. And that was, actually draw the attention and stop the Take-Over Mage in her tracks. "Damned, woman. I don't have enough lives to always babysit you. Have you fallen so far, that you don't even hear them, bellowing your name?"

Natsu turned around, his dark gaze falling on the dark haired male, approaching them and had his gaze fixed on Lisanna. It took him a moment to place him and recognize him as a member of Lisanna's team, in this place. He was the leader of the Team and they called him, Jupiter here. He couldn't recall what his real name was, but this man was an ally, so Natsu relaxed -_only a little_\- as he didn't like how he had drawn Lisanna's attention.

"Saizo? Natsu? Lucy? What, are you guys doing here?"

Natsu returned his gaze when he heard Lisanna respond, onyx eyes fell on his childhood friend and finding her shifting her gaze between the three Mages, a confused frown adoring her features. It seemed that Lisanna was trying to make sense of their presence here, trying to understand why they were here or even how, they had gotten all the way down here. Natsu's onyx eyes filled with concern for her. "Lisanna, are you, alright?"

"Yes, I am. I mean, why wouldn't I be?"

Natsu was in the process of answering her question, when a howl of what sounded like a wolf pierced through the air. The Dragon Slayer turned around, his onyx eyes fixed on the long corridor stretching out before him and catching the sounds of paws hitting the ground and multiple footsteps making their way towards them. He pulled his nose up, when he smelled something that burned his nose. "Something smells very bad." Natsu said drawing the attention of the others on his person. "It's getting close."

It took maybe a minute, maybe less but soon the others heard the footsteps pounding through the empty corridors.

The dark haired male sighed his gaze moving away from Lisanna and towards the corridor stretching behind them, his green eyes narrowed. "It seems, we are getting company. Lisanna, where is it?" He returned his gaze to the white haired women finding her just staring at him like she couldn't believe what she had heard. "We've been together for almost two years, now. I know you better, than most people, do. So, where is, it?"

"I don't know, all I know is that it's moving." Lisanna said, answering Saizo's question, her golden gaze shifting to the corridor stretching in front of her and behind Natsu and the others. "Someone, broke in Ackerman's office and took my Star Ball, but they didn't claim it and what' strange is, that they are moving further into the facility as opposed to going out." Lisanna sighed running a hand through her white strands. "Ackerman is still it's owner and I can feel him, he is pulling like crazy and I don't think, that I can resist it much longer. Besides, I don't want to risk, this person claiming it for themselves and forcing me into another lifelong servitude."

"That doesn't make, sense. Why, would they move further _in_ as opposed to going _out_?"

Saizo's green eyes moved towards Lucy who had uttered that question, he tilted his head in thought. "Lisanna? Tell, me. In which direction, is that jewel moving?" He asked returning his gaze to the white haired women, who replied with east, her response drawing a smirk from the dark haired male. "Huh...I see, everything is still going according to plan. I shouldn't have expected anything less, from that woman. She pulled, through."

"What plan? And, who in the world are you referring to?" Lisanna asked her eyes narrowing for a moment as she tried to make sense of the whole situation. "Though, more importantly than that. Lucy, what did you mean, with what you said? Do, you know who has my Star Ball. Or better said, _how_ do you guys even know what I was referring to? And, how on earth did you guys even managed to find, this Island. To begin, with?"

The blond woman's lips lifted in a soft smile, her brown eyes saddening a little. "We wouldn't have been able to find you, would have never known what had happened, to you all those months ago. If it hadn't been for your, friend." Lucy said answering Lisanna's question but only drawing an even deeper frown from the other women, who asked what friend. "Rin. If, Rin hadn't sought us out and informed us about you being alive but that you were, being held captive. We...We, wouldn't have known and we would just thought, that we had lost you in a freak accident, that no one ever really explained to us."

Lisanna seemed to be needing a moment, to process what Lucy had said.

The white haired woman nodded an expression of comprehension dawning on her features. "...Huh...I see...Everything about this whole situation, makes so much sense, now." Her lips parted on a tired sight, her hands lifted to rub her temples, almost as if she was trying to hold back a major headache. ""So, the one who broke in Ackerman's office and took possession over the Star Ball is, Rin?"

"She should, be the one, yes."

Lisanna frowned her expression conveying exactly what she felt, she did _not_ like those words. "_Should_, be?" The white haired women shook her head, moving her gaze away from her Guild Mates and towards the sealed doors located behind her. "I'm, really sorry. But, I can't just put my faith, on the mere hope that Rin, _might_ have it."

Natsu stepped towards her drawing her attention on his person. "If you feel more comfortable with having it in your hands and be actually certain, it's Rin who has it. We can go and check. You, know where it is, right?" The Dragon Slayer asked smiling when Lisanna nodded her answer, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "In that case, do lead the way. We are right here, beside you, Lisanna."

Lisanna's lips lifted in a gentle smile, her golden eyes softening and filling with gratitude and a emotion, Natsu couldn't place. "Thank, you."

Lightning cracked through the air, drawing the attention of the Fairy Tail Mages. They shifted their gaze just in time to catch, a bolt of electricity slamming into the Metal Doors, the concentrated spell created a large hole in the metal doors that had been sealing this side of the corridor off from the rest of the Facility.

The dark haired male turned around facing the Fairies with a smirk so vicious, that it drew three different reactions out of the Mages. Lucy, who looked uneasy. Natsu who looked a little curious but otherwise up for whatever he had in mind and Lisanna who looked more annoyed than anything else. "Relax, Lisanna. It's nothing drastic."

"Drastic for the world? Or, drastic in the terms of Saizo?"

The Devil Slayer chuckled patting her on the head, drawing a frown from the younger woman. "You are making it seem like, I am insane. But, I will humor you; Nothing drastic for the world's standards." Saizo moved the white haired woman in front of him and into the the direction the guards were coming from. "They released the Hounds, all I want you to do is growl."

Lisanna allowed him to maneuver her in place, her gaze moved towards the tall male holding her. "...Huh...You, want me to what, now?" She asked sounding surprised about his request, her eyebrows drew together. "You are sure, about that? You _want_ me, to growl?"

"Hmm? Didn't I just say, that?"

Natsu's gaze moved towards Lucy, whom by the looks of it was just as lost as he was. The blond's expression was asking him whether he knew what they were talking about, Natsu shook his head in the negative. "Euhm." He shifted his gaze towards the two -very soon- ex prisoners. "Growl? Lisanna you can growl?" He asked pulling Lisanna's embarrassed expression on his person. "You can growl? How? Since when and how can that help, us?" He asked again sounding almost as shocked as he felt.

"..."

Natsu took her silence as a confirmation, he blinked needing a moment to process this new information. "Lisanna? How will growling, help? It'-" Natsu started to ask his qeustion but trailed of when that scent filled the entire corridor, he cursed covering his nose and moving his gaze in the direction the howling was coming from. Fuck, up close it smelled even worse than it was when it was a mere trace. "What the fuck, is that stench?"

"Ah, you have an awfully good nose, what you are smelling are Death Hounds. Hounds who feed on the flesh of the living and the dead, although Ghouls, would be the correct term."

The Dragon Slayer returned his onyx gaze back towards Saizo, staring at him like he had just told him the sky was green and that pigs, did naturally fly. "...Huh..." His eyes widened when the slightly taller male told him, that he had heard him right. "..._Ghouls_...As in dead corpses rising up from the grave?" He moved his gaze towards Lisanna who was already moving to do what Saizo had asked off her. "...Lisanna..."

"I am afraid, that Saizo is speaking the truth. But, on the bright side; They experiment with a lot of things here and those, Hounds are the least off all evils. I prefer them over a ton of other things that roam these halls."

Onyx eyes filled with sadness, pain and anger that wasn't aimed at anyone but this damn place. This was Lisanna who was brushing something as a corpse rising from their grave as a minor issue, it did make one wonder what she would consider the worst of all the evils, in this place. "Lisanna? what are you, planning to-" He stopped when he sensed a firm hand drop on his shoulder, Natsu's onyx eyes met the cold and even green gaze of Saizo, who shook his head. "She isn't endangering, herself?"

Lisanna's soft laugh drew Natsu's attention back on her person, her head tilted as she allowed herself a moment to face her childhood friend. "Trust me on this, he will never allow me to do something that puts me in any unnecessary risks. If he plans something and I am involved or needed for it, you can be certain that I'm in no danger, it's very annoying."

"You brought that one upon yourself, if you did as people asked. I wouldn't be needing to leash to myself." Saizo's green eyes moved towards the two Fairy Tail Mages, he gestured with his head towards the corridor stretching behind them. "Step back from her and cover your ears, trust me in this."

Natsu and Lucy did as the Lightning Mage asked, stepping away from their friend and moving further down the corridor. Waiting for whatever was running towards them and to see what Lisanna was planning to do, to deal with it. It didn't take more than a few more seconds, for the pack of dogs? Wolves? to appear in sight.

Lucy covered her mouth muffling a scream and the urge to empty her stomach, brown eyes stared in shock at the animals. No, these were monsters running towards them. They must have been dogs at one point or another, because now they were nothing more than rotting flesh sticking together, flesh so rotten that it was hanging down their sides revealing their equally rotten? Muscles. "...God...What-" She chocked when their stench invaded her senses, causing her to nearly buckle under the sheer nastiness.

If she was having it bad, Natsu was having it worse but he forced himself to bit through and keep an eye on Lisanna.

A Lisanna who took a deep breath, -_seemingly not bothered by the sheer nauseating stench_-, holding it for a moment before she released it in an earth shattering growl that shook the very foundation of the building and filling everyone in the vicinity with an bone chilling fear, the sound of the growl echoed through the entire facility, traveling with the speed of sound over the fast distance of the entire Island, alerting every single soul present of the Monster hiding in their midst's.

The pack of Ghoulish hounds who had been previously charging them, with nothing but hunger and the desire of tearing them apart, whimpered as they skidded to a halt before turning tail and dashing away. Leaving their shivering human guides behind. The dozen plus humans stepped back, before strengthen their resolve and aiming their weapons at the four Mages. "XY-324 you are currently holding the lives of your friends in your hands, surrender and they may walk out of this ordeal, alive. Or, accept the consequences of your insubordination."

Saizo tilted his head looking more amused than anything else, his green eyes fixed on the cowering guards. "Huh, you know? That threat would be a lot of more believable, if you guys weren't shaking on your knees and didn't end up wetting your pants."

"XY-324 we are not warning you, again. Return to your Cell and this brief rebellion will be forgiven."

Lisanna's lips parted on a weary sigh, her expression morphing into one of desperation. "I...I tried, so hard but it I can't get away from them. My old Guild is holding me hostage, and for some reason they aren't very willing to let me go. And I can't understand why, I even told them that I preferred my Cell over my own room. But, they won't listen, they don't believe me when I say that I, rather be here and be an experiment and the weapon of a mad scientist, a dark Guild and the pet project of a few people with to much money at they hands."

"..."

The white haired woman lifted her hands clasping them together and managing to convey a very pleading expression upon her face. "But they aren't listening to a word, I say."

Saizo's expression was somewhere between amused and exasperated, he sighed arching an eyebrow. "...Tsk...A little less on the sarcasm? And, maybe you should put a lot more emphasis on the whole _'princess in distress_' tone in your voice."

Natsu nodded seemingly agreeing with the Devil Slayer's assessment, his eyebrows drew together in thought. "...Hmm...Also, try to produce some tears. You were also very good in faking them, and to spice it up a little add a sob story...Hmm...Ah, something about how you tried to convince us to join, their cause."

"...Oh...To make it even better, don't forget to add how it didn't work. We were...Ah, it didn't work because we were to stubborn." The Celestial Spirit Mage tapped her chin looking for all the world like she was really thinking about this. "...Ah, also don't forget to ask for their help in showing us the light, I am sure you will be more convincing if you, do that." Lucy said smiling as she added her two cents to something Saizo hadn't even meant to start.

Lisanna sighed softly mumbling that they were to cruel, and how much she was starting to hate them in this moment. The white haired woman smiled lifting her gaze back up to face the Guards who didn't seem to appreciate their sense of humor, her golden eyes widened in surprise. "...Euhm...I don't know, how to say this but if I were you, I would duck?"

"Huh? Just how stupid, do you think we are? Do you really think, we will fall for such a obvious, trick?"

Lisanna lifted her hand pointing to something located behind them, she shook her head her expression still conveying surprise and disbelief at something. "No, really I am serious. There is something behind you, and he is planning to hit you." She frowned in thought, looking even more confused than before. "And from the looks of it, it's a Cow with an Ax?" Lisanna said referring to Taurus who was descending on the unsuspecting guards.

"...Oh? Well, would you look at, that." Saizo said tilting his head and looking at something located behind the dozen or so, Guards. "It seems, she is right. There is something there and it does look, like a Cow."

The next thing the poor guards registered was the loud moo that filled the air, before being hit by the power of one of the Twelve Zodiac Spirits. All of them crashed into the ground and were with the exception of one, out cold. The last remaining Guard who had managed to hold on to his consciousness lifted his gaze wanting to know what had hit him. His eyes widened in utter shock when they fell on the honest to god, Cow standing behind him...A Cow that was holding an Ax. "...What...Are-"

"See? I told, you there was a Cow standing behind you." Lisanna said unable to prevent the smile from lifting her lips, it was mean what she had done but when she had seen Lucy pull out her Key and summon one of her Celestial Spirits, Lisanna had been hit by the urge to at least pull one prank before she would leave this place behind. "Why, didn't you believe, me?" Lisanna asked the guard who was still hovering on the edge of consciousness, she shifted her gaze facing Saizo. "Why, didn't they believe, me?"

"Probably because you said, _Cow_ with an _Ax_."

Natsu turned around facing the metal doors Saizo had destroyed, he cracked his knuckles a smirk lifting his lips. "So? You guys, about ready to leave this Island, behind?" Natsu asked drawing smiles and a smirk from the three other Mages who agreed on the fact that they were sick and tired of this place. "Alright, let's get that Star Ball and shake this place on its foundation." He slammed his fist in his hand releasing a burst of fiery flames.

It was time to say, goodbye to this damn place.

.

.

.

Natsu dashed through the long corridors following Lisanna who was leading them through this maze of a place, down various stairs and through so many different sealed doors. That one would wonder what it was that were really trying to keep contained down here, his onyx moved towards Lisanna realizing that it was her or more the thing inside of her, that they wished to contain. It wouldn't do them any good, Lisanna was tearing through those doors with the same ease one ripped through paper.

So, how did they think that it could hold, the Demon, back?

His eyebrows drew together in a frown as he took a moment to take the woman in front of him in, her appearance was different. She was wearing yet another Kimono, did this mean that with every number of tails she was sporting she would be wearing a different Kimono? Why did she chose for this one, as opposed to the one she had opened the battle with? Or the one she had used against, them? Were the numbers of tails an indicator for how strong that Take-Over was?

Natsu didn't know anything about Kitsunes but from what Levy told them, a Kitsune's power level could be judged by the amount of tails they had. With a Kitsune with one Tail being the weakest and one who had the complete number of nine, being the strongest, she also said that there was once a Fox who had been rumored to have ten tails but Levy didn't know if that was true or not, as there were barely any records of that one.

She did know which Kitsune was residing in Lisanna's body, though. Because she knew that there was only one single Kitsune in history who carried both the monikers _'The Demon Fox'_ and _'The Bane'_ alike, and that was the same Kitsune who had ended up nearly destroying the world and pushed mankind to the brink of extinction. And that was the Lord of Pandemonium and leader of the Silver Clan, the Nine Tailed Fox of Mt Osore.

Natsu didn't know what _Lord of Pandemonium_ meant, but it couldn't be anything good.

What he did know was the number of the Tails Lisanna's current Take-Over Magic had, and that was Nine. Lisanna had access to Nine different Tails which meant, that she had nine different forms. She was currently sporting Four Tails, which meant that she was using around half of the Fox's powers? Just how much power, did that Fox hold and how strong was Lisanna really, to hold on to that much magic power? He had never doubted her strength, still to realize that she was containing a Demon Fox who had nearly destroyed the world, in her body.

Was nothing, short of amazing.

Lisanna turned a corner only to duck in order to evade the barrage of arrows aimed at her, the Take-Over Mage hissed swinging her tails out and slamming a few arrows away. "What is wrong, with you? You can't just fire at the slightest movement, and at anyone taking the corner. I could have been your superiors or comrades." Lisanna snapped the slight growl in her words, betraying her anger. "Who just shoots without any confirmation?"

All she received in reply to her question, where a dozen plus Bows being lifted in the air before the guards released their next barrage of arrows.

Natsu moved already jumping over Lisanna and releasing a powerful torrent of flames from his mouth, vaporizing the arrows in the middle of their descent. The Dragon Slayer landed in a crouch a couple of feet in front of his childhood friend, he smirked pushing himself back to his feet and it was the look in his eyes that ended up scaring the shit out of the dozen or so men standing in their way. "Who of you, wants to go down, first?"

"..."

The Dragon Slayer moved not even giving them a chance to even think about his question, he was already kicking up into the air and taking a large amount of air. "Fire Dragon's Roar." Natsu said releasing the powerful breath attack he was most famous for, the volatile torrent of flames slammed into the guards burning through their magical armor and charring everything on their path, reminding everyone of how scary a Dragon was.

"Huh, I thought you would be holding back and spare your energy for the more dangerous opponents."

Lisanna smiled standing up from her kneeling position, and facing the dark haired male male with an amused expression. "In a way he is the opposite of you, where you can hold your powers back till the point where one might think you are weak and no threat. Natsu _can't_, it doesn't matter how much he tries to hold back, it always ends up with him still releasing a little too much. It's why he leaves so many towns destroyed in his wake. "

"Doesn't that sound about the same as a serial killer, saying _'I tried to resist the temptation, but I couldn't_?"

Lisanna tilted her head taking a moment to process his words and think about her answer, one that came in the form of laughter. "Which is probably why, Natsu never uses it as an excuse. So, doesn't that elevate him from that level?"

It was only because Lisanna was looking so happy at the moment, that Natsu couldn't even bring himself to be insulted by her words. "We should go, before anyone else shows up. So, Lisanna? Which way must we-"

Clap.

It was the sound of someone clapping that drew the attention of the four Mages away from the now unconscious guards, and on to the two males standing at the end of the corridor. It was because both Lisanna and Saizo cursed their luck, wondering why it had to be them out of all people and because they seemed to be on edge, that neither Natsu or Lucy were willing to lower their guard. It was obvious that they were trouble.

"Fairy Tail, huh? You are a real pain in the ass, the rumors weren't exaggerated." A purple haired man said with a wicked grin, the glint in his grey eyes told the four Mages just how far gone this man really was. They were mad and most off they were filled with an intent to kill anyone and everything in their sight, kill it and take a great amount of pleasure out of it. "Just who the fuck do you think, you are? Coming uninvited and then having the gall to make a mess in our backyard." He chuckled darkly lifting his left hand into the air charging a fire based spell, one he didn't release but held contained in the palm of his hand. "You do have some, nerve."

Natsu's reply came in three different stages, the first was a dark and oddly amused sounding chuckle. A chuckle that was accompanied by a fiery blaze bursting around him, forming a dangerous circle of flames that were dancing around his feet and slowly licking their way towards the two opposing Mages. It was only after that, that Natsu finally gave a verbal response to those insulting words. "Oh? I find that very funny, you might not have this problem, if you idiots didn't take someone we consider precious and family. You better hope, that making a mess of your backyard, is all we decide do to you." Salamander said with a very dark smirk of his own.

"Mighty words, can you back that up?"

The Dragon Slayer's gaze shifted towards the blue haired male that had spoken, he was in the process of giving his reply when he was distracted by Lisanna's shocked cry. Natsu's onyx eyes widened his gaze flying into the direction he knew Lisanna was, already moving to help her when he froze in his tracks. He had been prepared to deal with everything, it was why his magic was already active and the flames already contained around his hands. He had been prepared for just about everything, _but_ Saizo taking a hold of the Take-Over Mage and throwing her through the corridor. "...What the fuck..._Lisanna_..." Natsu called out together with Lucy.

It was obvious he had used some strength, as Lisanna flew through the air covering almost the entire corridor, before she crashed into the ground. The white haired woman rolled over a few times, before she managed to regain her footing by spinning around and landing in a crouch. "You're supposed to be smart, how does throwing a woman through the air, sound even like a remotely smart thing, to do?" Lisanna's words were once again laced with an almost animalistic growl. "I could have broken my neck, I could have damaged my back. For someone who is overly protective, you are awfully abusive. What is it with you and your mood swings?"

"I merely adapt to those around, me." The Devil Slayer said ignoring Lisanna's question of what that was supposed to mean, instead the dark haired male shifted his gaze towards Lucy. A Lucy who seemed to be on her guard, almost as if she was expecting that she was the next one to sail through the air. "Lisanna is annoying and a very special case, that was the only way to get her to move her ass. She would have insisted to help me fight them, and I don't want her, anywhere near those idiots." Saizo said moving his gaze towards the two Mages looking amused and way to confident in their own abilities. "You and Lisanna, continue on. Salamander and myself will catch up, as soon we buried these two."

The Celestial Mage nodded stepping back before turning around, and making a run towards Lisanna who was already pushing herself back to her feet, and waiting, for her. The blond woman's brown eyes widened when she caught Saizo's request '_Take care, of her_.' Lucy smiled turning around facing the dark haired male who tilted an eyebrow at her gentle expression. "I was planning on it. You and Natsu make sure to catch up with us. I won't forgive, either of you, if you don't."

"Tsk...As if it wasn't bad that I had Lisanna, on my case." Saizo cursed under his breath before allowing the smirk to lift his lips, his green eyes opened facing Lucy once again. "Now I have to take you in consideration, to? So, I have to worry about Lisanna, killing me if I don't come back, _and_ you never forgiving me, if I don't return? Just what did I do, to deserve this pain in the ass? Cheh, whatever. I'm always in for a challenge, so why not."

Lucy moved her gaze, towards Natsu.

The Dragon Slayer grinned promising that he would catch up with the two of them and he would make sure, that Saizo would be right there next to him. He smirked when the Devil Slayer told him to worry about his own ass and leave him to protect his own. Both males shifted their gaze towards Lisanna who didn't look to happy with leaving them behind, Natsu smiled gently to ease some of her worries. "Trust us, we will catch up."

Lisanna's eyes narrowed filling with something close to displeasure, the white haired woman crossed her arms looking almost like a teacher lecturing her class. "Why, are you two acting, like you have, a choice? You _shall_ catch up with us, you _will_ be alright and _you'll_ finish this meaningless battle, fast. Or, I'll never forgive you and if that doesn't scare you enough, I'll tell you this. I _will_ let Lucy Heartfilia, beat the crap out of the two of you."

"Saying my full name, like that won't make me anymore threatening, than I am."

The white haired woman shifted her gaze facing the blond stepping up next to her, Lisanna grinned, her displeasure momentarily forgotten and looking awfully happy about something. "But, it does. Lucy will beat you up, doesn't sound half as good. As _Lucy Heartfilia_ will beat you up. Because, Lucy is just Lucy but _Lucy Heartfilia_ is _Lucy Heartfilia_." Lisanna said it in a way that indicated that she thought that would explain everything.

"I _don't_ know what that means, but thank you?"

Lisanna turned around facing the two males, her smile widening. "You hear that? You will be utterly destroyed by her, so what do you say?" She nodded when both males swore that they would be fine and they would join them very soon, Lisanna shifted her gaze towards the blond. "Alright then, Lucy? We should get going, we still have ways to go and we can be certain, that there will more and more guards, standing in our way. "

"So, it's nothing new?"

Lisanna's eyes widened an expression of surprise crossing her face for a moment, before it was replaced by one of gentle understanding. She should have known better and she shouldn't really have expected anything less, from a Mage from Fairy Tail. As a member of that Guild, Lisanna should really have known better. She should have known that Fairy Tail Mages would never be deterred or intimidated by more opponents or very dangerous situations. Especially if refusing meant that they would be abandoning a comrade. "...No...It's nothing new..." Her soft words drew a confused frown from her friend, the Take-Over Mage smiled saying that it was nothing before setting off, forcing the blond to do the same. "Saizo...Natsu...We will be seeing you two, soon." Lisanna called back to them before the two Mages disappeared around the corner and out of sight.

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The sound of lightning cracking filled the air, Saizo who'd stepped up next Natsu sighed looking exasperated."Let's finish this and make our way back to them, I've no desire to be on the receiving end of her ire." He seemed to be more worried about what Lisanna would do to him than about the two Mages standing before them, blue sparks of electricity bounced erratically around his feet and hands. "You'll take, the purple one?"

"Purple one? That is fucking rude, this purple haired individual has a name. A nice name, which is Eizan. _Eizan_ would appreciate it if you used his name." The purple haired Fire Mage snapped sounding for all the world annoyed and somewhat hurt, by the sheer rudeness they were showing him. "And before you, decide to refer to him as bluenette. He also has a name, not as great as mine...But, a name none the less. Which is Azami."

The blue haired Mage who was revealed to be Azami shot his companion a glare, his grey eyes filled with something close to ire. "Geez...Thank you, for sharing my -_not so great as your name-_, name with them." Azami snapped mumbling why he was always stuck with an child like him. "Azami would also prefer it, if you used his name. You two wouldn't like it, if we referred to you as Pinkie and Blackie, right? Wouldn't you prefer to be called Salamander and Jupiter, respectively?"

"Honestly? I will take, Blackie over Jupiter anytime."

Natsu tilted his head sideways giving the impression that he didn't understand why they were making such a big deal out, he sighed shrugging. "As for me? I really don't care, in the end what you call me doesn't matter. We will make you pay, for what you guys put Lisanna, through. And we shall pay you back a hundred fold." Natsu said with a strong conviction, his words weren't really appreciated by either of the Mages opposing them, though.

"Is that so? You sure talk big, for someone who'll lose his life here." Eizan released his Magic in an inferno of flames that could rival that off Salamander, he smirked as he moved in a attacking position. "Because, I hate to break this to you, Salamander. But you won't leave this corridor with your life intact." Eizan said chuckling he lifted his hand releasing even more flames. "Yes...I'll take the utmost pleasure in ending your miserable life."

Azami who look almost remorseful about how everything had turned out, dropped his head releasing a soft sigh. "That is unfortunate, and I was hoping we could have a good working relationship." He lifted his gaze, grey eyes once again facing the two Slayers, Azami lifting his shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. "But, it seems that we're blowing the candles out, on this Fairy Tale. It's such a sad and anti climatic end, don't you think?"

The Dragon Slayer cracked his knuckles, his onyx eyes fixed on the purple haired male who seemed to be waiting for his move. "Huh, you two are wise not to underestimate Fairy Tail, that arrogance of yours will be your end." Natsu said drawing a chuckle from Saizo whom asked since when he had joined their Guild. "There is no such thing as officially joining our Guild, you are or are not a member. That is just it, if we want you to join, you join."

Saizo sighed before allowing his lips to lift in a smirk, his green eyes narrowed when the shifted towards their two opponents. "The tales about your Guild, are wrong. You are not reckless nor dangerous, you all just lack common sense and are awful judges of character." His collar sparked with flames when his Magic rose beyond the predetermined level, the blue sparks jumped all around him before they gathered in his hands. "You can't just go around and decide what one does, with his life. Is it a Fairy Tail, thing to be so damn stubborn?" He sighed when Natsu said that it was conviction and strength of will. "If telling yourself that, will allow your boat to float? Than by all means, tell yourself that."

"You two just about, done?"

Natsu shared a look with Saizo who shrugged, the Dragon Slayer grinned his gaze returned back to both Eizan and Azami. "Yeah, we are just waiting for the two of you to decide." Natsu smirked when Azami asked on what exactly, the flames that had been licking around Natsu's feet grew larger, bursting high enough to nearly reach the ceiling. "On whether you wish to be taken down, by a Fire Dragon or by a Lightning Devil." Natsu said.

Both Eizan and Azami smirked, their own Magic responding to those words.

They had to finish them fast, neither Natsu and Saizo were in the mood to drag this fight out any longer, than absolute necessary. Especially if they had to take in account, that Lisanna could still fall under the effects of the Star Ball and thus turn against them. He could still recall the look in her eyes and how Lisanna hadn't been the one looking at him. It was why they weren't really comfortable with letting Lucy deal with _that_ Lisanna.

_We have to get our hands on that Star Ball, and anyone standing in our way will be destroyed._

Onyx eyes opened filling with determination, a lot was riding on this and Natsu would be damned that he did anything, that would lessen her chances. The less people standing in their way, the easier they could get to that Star Ball, the sooner they got their hands on it, the sooner they could leave this damn Island and its horrors behind.

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A/N; And we have reached the end of chapter seven, I can't believe I managed to update this one in the same month as the previous chapter. I think, it's because this one was already half way done. This chapter puts us back on track and there are maybe two or three more chapters that will take place on the Island, it all depends on whether I can actually hold myself to that. I have the tendency to add scenes or remove some, if I feel like it work better for the story.

That aside, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and as always I love hearing from your guys, so don't be shy to share your thoughts. Well, this was it again and I hope to see you all in the next chapter, of Juubi No Kitsune.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N; The eight chapter is finally here, I am so happy I managed to finish this chapter and post it. I am sorry it took so long to get this one out, but I sadly had a minor accident (nothing major or life threatening) which ended up with me spraining my right wrist, so I was forced to spend weeks in a wrist brace and wasn't allowed it to use it. Now the doctor finally cleared me three weeks ago, but I didn't want push myself and strain it too much. A decision that ended up pushing the publication of this chapter even further back.

A sprained wrist is a pain in the you know what, and while it had its perks (No cleaning, no cooking etc and lots of Netflix and time to read the books in my TBR) I did miss the writing, I couldn't write ideas down whenever they popped up, which as a amateur writer is a faith worse than having no snacks at hand on movie night.

So, I apologize for making you wait so long and I really hope, that the chapter will be worth the wait. As always I want to thank everyone who has read, favorite and reviewed Juubi No Kitsune. Beware, there will be some grammar and spelling mistakes and there are probably some typo's somewhere, I apologize for those. Considering that this chapter is 24 pages long (in word) I decided to keep the review replies as short as possible.

**Maiden Warrior;** As always you know how to make my day, thank you for the kind words. I hope you are ready for the rest of the ride, because unlike the last chapter this one and the upcoming ones will have less humor and more of everything else. Lucy is a great character and a very kind one, her being jealous of a friend or Lisanna being down right mean is out of character for both characters, so you won't be seeing that in this fic.

Lisanna and Lucy are both alike, in the sense that they are bright and kind. With Lisanna being the more mischief and outgoing one, and Lucy the more down to earth one. You can see it in the way, Lisanna is always fine with the antics of the Guild and Lucy tends to lose her mind whenever they get all crazy like only Fairy Tail can be. which is, why I will have so much fun, developing their friendship. I'm glad you liked, Azami and Eizan, I can promise you, that you will be seeing and learning more about them. They are more than your typical bad guys, they all have their motives and reasons (even Ackerman) and everything will be revealed as the story goes on.

So, please sit back and enjoy the ride (And PS: You are sadistic :P, that is one well thought out plan. How long were you sitting on killing Ackerman, like that?)

**Airbone3;** I am caught, though I would say I rather borrowed the names than copied them. I really don't believe one can copy a name, I needed names and I did what I always do. Go through all the Anime, Manga I have devoured and use the grand magic known as Google. I know a lot of Japanese names, but I wanted names that gave me a certain vibe and Azami and Eizan were the winners of that lottery. I really liked them and because I wanted to names that were close to each other but still weren't the same. I decided to go with them, so I hope you don't mind that I am keeping them for the duration of the story. Don't worry, you won't find a Erina, Souma or Isshiki-Senpai here.

**JD98:** Don't worry you don't sound harsh at all, you gave me advice and you did it in a nice and kind way. Your words weren't taken as anything but the helping hand they were meant to be. Thank you for pointing it out to me, I will make sure to work it into future chapters and I will edit "Face' to 'Phase' I didn't even notice I typed it like that, until you pointed it out.

**Guest (Jan 28); **Thank for your kind words, it took me a while but the eight chapter is finally here.

Also as we always tend to forget, I do not own Fairy Tail in any shape or form. Which is sad, if I say so myself. I have so many ideas with Lisanna and such a burning need to show her potential as opposed to wasting it. Ach, we can't have everything we want, now can we? So, without further ado, I present you Chapter eight of Juubi No Kitsune.

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_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro._

_Location; Mobile somewhere between Maximus Coliseum and the Underground Facility._

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Lisanna's heels clicked on tiles as she dashed though the underground passageway's, leading the Celestial Spirit Mage through the different hallways and down the last remaining stairs leading into the underground facility and the location of her Star Ball. Lisanna could sense it now, it was close and with every step she took, Lisanna could hear it. It was calling to her, demanding her to reclaim it. It _wanted_ to return to its rightful place.

While the call of the Star Ball was getting louder and louder, it wasn't the dominant thought in her head.

_...Saizo...Natsu...I will never forgive either of you, don't you dare to lose a fight you two are having for my sake. I can promise you two, that I will blame myself for the rest of my live, how long or short that may be..._

The white haired woman thought while she increased her pace, forcing the blond running behind her to do the same. Lisanna knew that she had to keep her attention focused on the location of her Star Ball, but it was proving itself to be a very daunting task. Lisanna couldn't help the worry and fear she felt, so she had to force herself to push it all aside and focus on the location of her Star Ball.

Her eyes closed for a moment as she tried to extend a mental hand towards the powerful Artifact, it was only when she felt the familiar pull against her senses that her eyes shot open.

It was close.

Lisanna took a deep breath, continuing on towards her destination, it had taken some effort on her part but Lisanna managed to not think about her partner. She had to force herself to not think about what would happen if she ended up losing Saizo, nor what would become of her, if the one person that could pull her back to her senses, ended up not being around.

She somehow managed to ignore the fear she felt at the possibility of losing her childhood friend, her siblings and the rest of the Fairy Tail Mages. They could take care of themselves, all she had to was trust them.

And trust them she did, Lisanna sighed softly knowing that the people she called family. They wouldn't go down, especially after they promised her that she would go back, home. Back to Fairy Tail. A Fairy Tail Mage never broke their word, come Hell or High Water. They _would_ take her back home.

Lisanna also knew that Saizo could take care of himself, the Devil Slayer despised losing against someone he deemed to be worthless and weak. There was no way, he would go down in that fight and she shouldn't be worried about, Vincent either. That man didn't know the meaning of giving up, her teammates were both two of the strongest people she knew. Both males would make sure that they would get out of their battles, alive and so, would Fairy Tail.

Trusting that they would be alright, Lisanna decided to focus on her own task.

If they wanted to get off this Island, they would be needing that Star Ball. Lisanna refused to leave this place without her Jewel and it was because all those people she cared about were too stubborn and just so damn caring, that they would all opt to stay as long as it would take her. There was no way in hell, that they would even think about leaving her behind on this cursed Island.

Which meant that they were only putting themselves, in more danger.

As long as that artifact stayed in Ackerman's hands, Lisanna was still vulnerable to its effects. Which made her the biggest threat on this Island, who would ever thought that out of every single thing on this Island, it was the one who used to be so bright and kind, was the one who held the most blood lust. Lisanna also knew that out of everyone currently on the Island, it was Lucy who was facing the biggest danger. And if Lisanna would have her own way, she would have ditched the blond and go on, on her own.

But..._But_, Lisanna had seen it, had seen the determination in the blonds eyes. She couldn't betray those feelings, so Lisanna had decided to just risk it and trust that she would be able to get to the Star Ball, before Ackerman's order became too loud and too powerful to ignore.

Lisanna strengthen her resolve before once again focusing on the pull of her Star Ball, finally managing to pinpoint its exact location. It seemed to be located in the **Q**-Department and moving up, she frowned wondering what they could be seeking there, there was nothing there. At least nothing of importance nor something they could possibly want. The only thing located on that floor, were the Chem. Labs and the Pharmacy -

Golden eyes widened.

If it was really Rin that had taken her Star Ball, than the only reason she could be making her way towards the Pharmacy was for that Drug. Lisanna cursed under her breath, just what was she doing? How could she risk herself like that? There was no antidote and she hated to admit it, but Lisanna needed that drug. It helped her dull her emotions, Lisanna didn't even want to think about what she would do if she went to long without it. The Fox _was_ cold and composed, _most_ of the time but she was also the most fickle being Lisanna had ever met and one that could get insulted by the weirdest of things. Lisanna Strauss as herself and still sane, could ignore it all.

The Fox _wouldn't_.

Lisanna sighed turned a corner and descended rest of the stairs, setting course for the Q Department and the location of her Star Ball, hopefully they would reach Rin before she had set foot on that floor. She needed to stop her from even attempting to enter that floor, Rin had no idea the horrors that lie beyond those sealed doors. Damn, the last thing she wanted was for Rin to encounter that woman. The woman who had betrayed her and brought her to this place.

_**"Be careful, little one...There is something down here."**_

Lisanna tensed when the Fox's warning registered, she extended her senses trying to locate what had drawn the Fox's attention, when it happened, the stairs they've been using disappeared, sending the Mages plunging through the gaping hole.

Lisanna twisted her body, debating for one second if she should change Take-Over's but deciding against it when she realized that she couldn't pull another Tail out of her hat. _If_ she dropped the Fox's Take-Over, Lisanna would lose her only real chance to protect herself and her friends. "Between a rock, and a hard place." Lisanna cursed swinging one of her Tails out when Lucy cried out to her, telling her to grab a hold of her.

"Alright...Just hold on a for a moment, don't move."

Lisanna eyes narrowed not in anger but in amused annoyance. "Really? Lucy, where on earth would I be going? I mean aside, from plunging to the earth?" Lisanna asked using her Tail to pull the other woman towards herself and grabbing a hold of her, by wrapping her arms around her waist. "I really hope, you know what you are doing. While it's true that I love free falling, I usually have a safety line, in place. Usually my Magic."

_"Star Dress; Sagittarius Form_..." The Celestial Spirit Mage placed the Golden Spirit Key against her chest to once again switch forms, changing from Leo's Form to that off the Archer; Sagittarius. And as was expected of this advanced branch of Celestial Spirit Magic, Lucy's attire changed -_something it did with every Zodiac Sign she was incorporating_.

This time Lucy's attire consisted out of a green two tailed coat with golden trimmings, the elegant coat had a high collar with a white scarf wrapped around it. The coat was one that left her upper back bare and it seemed to come with attachable sleeves running up to her shoulders, leaving them also bare. The Star Dress of Sagittarius was completed with black thigh high boots with the same gold trims decorating it, the boots were split above Lucy's knees which left the front of her thighs bare.

"Euhm...Lucy..._Not_ to rush you, or anything..._But_ we are still free falling and rapidly descending towards the earth?"

The blond smiled notching an arrow into her bow before she took aim, her brown eyes narrowing in took a deep breath, pulling the string back and holding it for a second before releasing it together with her breath. "Hold on, it's going to get a little bumpy." Lucy said disregarding Sagittarius form and returning back to her regular appearance, the blond Fairy pulled out her whip and swung it out. "Don't let, go."

"Huh? Now, why on earth would I-"Lisanna's eyes widened when she realized that they were going to sail towards the wall. "You got to be kidding me, if you were going to do that-" Lisanna's sentence was cut off when Lucy snapped her whip around the arrow she'd notched into the wall, golden eyes narrowed when the blond swung themselves backwards before swinging towards the brick wall. "Oh, I'm not going to like, this." Lisanna winced when her left side slammed against the stone cold wall.

"Well, that wasn't so bad."

Lisanna sighed softly her eyes opening and facing the blond she was holding. "You're right it could be worse, which is why I am telling you this; Lucy? You are a lousy, knight in Shining Armor. I love you, but you are fired."

"And here I thought, I could win the princess, heart." Lucy said laughing before moving her gaze towards the ground, her brown eyes narrowed in thought. "So, drop the remaining feet? Or try to get back, up?" Lucy's gaze shifted up to the darkness stretching above them, and the speck of light in the distance. "It's quite a way up, and unless we can fly. I don't see ourselves getting up there very easily." She returned her gaze towards Lisanna. "Do you have any Take-Overs that can get us up?"

"I had to release most of my Take-Overs to make place for the Fox Soul, I have a handful left and none of which I can do a full body Take-Over." Lisanna said she shook her head when Lucy send her a questioning look. "I don't want to talk about it. I do have one that can get us up...But...But that means that I have to release this one and I don't have enough Magic left to extract the Tails again. So, I'm really sorry. But, we will have to drop."

The blond nodded, her brown eyes moving down to the ground located several feet beneath them. "So, we shall be greeting the ones who caused our free fall?" Lucy sighed when Lisanna replied that they didn't have much of a choice. "Alright then, let's go." She moved her arm untangling the Whip from the arrow and dropping herself down to the ground and landing in a crouch.

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Her eyes needed a moment or two to adjust to the darkness, Lucy frowned when she she realized that she wasn't seeing anything but the darkness. "Wow, I can't even see my own, hand." She tilted her head when she heard Lisanna land next to her, her brown eyes shifted towards her friend and widened when she saw the glowing yellow eyes. "So, were are we? And how do we get out? Not that we can, tell in this darkness." Lucy said instead of commenting on those eerie and yet beautiful eyes.

The white haired woman frowned, her golden eyes taking their surroundings in. "I am not sure, so far the only thing I see is nothing." Lisanna smiled when she sensed Lucy's displeasure at being so vulnerable. "Kitsune-Bi." Lisanna whispered the name of her most basic spell, the bluish orbs flashed into appearance. "Is this, better?"

Brown eyes widened in surprise when Lucy realized that Lisanna's spell could be used in this way, the blond woman watched the multiple bluish orbs float into the air and hover several feet above the ground in two different rows -_on either side of the cavern they had fallen in_. "...Wow..." Lucy whispered when the soft glow of the blue orbs lighted up the previous pitch black place. "It's a whole lot better than the darkness of earlier, but I can't help but find this eerie, actually I find this very, eerie-"

Lisanna's lips which were in the process to lift in a soft smile, froze in their action when the ears on top of hear twitched. Lisanna's head tilted when she sensed the presence of someone else, they weren't alone anymore. Someone else had entered the space they were currently occupying. She could feel herself tense up, when she realized that she couldn't see anyone -_The Fox's eyes were unable to detect the foreign presence_. Lisanna frowned concentrated, it took a moment to detect something.

A sound, Lisanna's ears couldn't detect where the sound was coming from-_yet_, but she could defiantly hear the faint sucking like sound. Almost as if air was being sucked into a vortex or something quite like that.

"-I didn't know that you could use this spell, like that. It seemed...I don't know, a little to destructive for such a subtle use." Lucy said shifting her gaze towards the white haired woman kneeling next to her, only to tense up when she noticed how tense and on guard Lisanna was. "You did after all, burn everything on your path."

Lisanna had the decency to wince at that, the young woman smiled in apology. "Ah, well they are different? If you look carefully, you can see that this version has a white Aura and are less solid, than the ones I used before." Lisanna said sweeping her gaze over their surroundings, the ears on top of her head kept twitching in every direction, trying to locate the sound and finally finding it. "I can change the properties as I please, changing it from offensive to this one and do it in the reverse, too."

"...I, see..."

Lisanna smiled nodding before tilting her head to her left, her ears following the gesture and angling themselves in that specific direction to. "It's not that hard, to do." She said pushing herself up to her feet, and waiting for the blond to do the same. "Do, you wish to see a demonstration?" Lisanna asked knowing full well that Lucy had understood that they weren't alone anymore and had picked on the location of their newest opponent(s).

"Sure, why not. We are stuck here, for a while. So, why not use it to learn something new."

Lisanna smiled lifting her hand snapping her fingers, mentally ordering the flames to switch from dormant to active. The mental order effected only one single row, the blue/white orbs flashed glowing up and changing to a luminescent blue before vanishing from sight and raining down several feet left to the two Fairy Tail Mages.

Brown eyes narrowed when Lucy spotted the crack appearing in the space, the blond woman watched how the air seemed to flicker as space distorted and revealed the person that had been cloaked behind the Spatial Magic. "...Space Magic..." Lucy mumbled moving her hand towards the Key's attached to her belt, her mind working a hundred miles per minute as she went through the pros and cons, of every Celestial Spirit Key, she owned. What could she use, against him? "This can become a lit-"

"...This must be, my lucky day..."

Lucy's gaze flew towards her right when the new voice reached her ears, brown eyes landing in the direction the voice had come from and spotting the black haired male stepping out of the shadows and into the light of the remaining Orb's of Lisanna's Spell. "Really? Another, one? It's just one after the other, take one out and another crawls out of the wall. They're almost like an infestation, just how many guards, are there?" Lucy removed Loke's Key from its position, clutching it in her right hand.

"Enough, I guess. But, they are just foot soldiers, having nothing but numbers to their advantage." Lisanna said her golden eyes narrowed when they returned their gaze to the males. "The ones we should, really worry about and actually pose a real and deadly threat, are the Dread Knights and all but one are corned by the others -_Seven in the Arena and two against Natsu and Saizo_\- These two are no members of that Group and neither are they Guards."

The blond frowned and she was in the process of asking her to elaborate, when the question was cut off before it was even vocalized. Lucy's gaze moved away from her friend and back towards the two males, her brown orbs narrowed when the black haired Shadow User asked whether Lisanna meant that they weren't a threat and if she really was that arrogant. "Lisanna?" Lucy said only her name, trusting that Lisanna knew what she was asking and would give her some insight in their opponents.

"They are a team, not as good as the twins -_the two fighting Saizo and Natsu_\- but they're still good enough, to be considered dangerous in a tag-battle." Lisanna stepped up next to Lucy drawing her eyes on her person, her gaze moved towards Lucy meeting the blond's gaze with a smile. "So, how about, it? Shall we breathe some life into the Lucy and Lisanna, team?" Her words drew a bright smile from Lucy. "It seems, that you like it."

"I like it, a lot." Lucy said throwing the Golden Key into the air and grabbing it once again. "This will be a first for us. So, I will be in your care and in return, you can count on me." She placed the Golden Spirit Key against her chest, calling forth the Star Dress of Leo, her words were accompanied by a bright light that covered her entire body, and when that faded, Lucy's appearance had changed to one that matched that of the Zodiac Spirit Leo. "You ready, to teach them what happens, to those that mess with Fairy Tail?"

The white haired woman's eyes fell shut for a moment, her lips lifted in a gentle smile. "I am more than ready. So, let's give it all we got." Lisanna said while at the same time gathering her Magic, mentally going through her reserves judging exactly how much she had available, how much she could use here and how much she needed to make it back into the Facility. It wasn't much, it was even less, than she had expected. She hadn't been lying when she told Lucy that she couldn't afford to lose this transformation.

She _really_ couldn't. This Take-Over was standing on its last legs, the Magic she was using to keep it active, was all the Magic she had.

Lisanna didn't have the luxury to use her spells recklessly. Which meant that she had to make do, with what she had. Something that wasn't as bad, as it sounded and if she played, her cards right. Lisanna would be able to walk out of this, with at least half of the Magic she had. She would be able to do it. This Take-Over would allow her to do it, Lisanna was glad that she had opted to go with the Four Tails as opposed to the Three Tails.

Yonbi was technically stronger than her to go -_most preferred_\- Form which was the Three Tailed State, unlike Sanbi whom focused more on power. The Four Tails was one that specialized in Defense, Speed and Agility. The _Robe of the Fox_ was one of the most powerful defenses she had come across, the Robe _could_ protect her against almost everything and that included physical and Magic spells, and if she trusted the Fox's instincts-_which she did_-, than it could also protect her against extreme temperatures -_ cold or heat_.

Though.

It all depended on how much Magic she had to spare and Lisanna didn't have enough, to be willing to recklessly use the Robe's abilities. Lisanna wasn't the Fox, unlike her '_roommate_' Lisanna could only use the protection of the Robe a few times in every single battle.

It asked a lot of Magic and Lisanna didn't have an infinite pool of Magic at her disposal, she had enough and it was more than most, but it was still not enough. Besides, her stay in Edolas had damaged her magic 'container' almost till the point of no repair. And it hadn't been until, Fairy Tail had dissolved for a year that she had managed to recover and repair the most of the damage. "..Tsk.."

She couldn't even use the Life Force she had stolen, to increase her own Magic Level-_not that she wanted to, but she had already absorbed it. _

Lisanna didn't know what she had been suffering from, but whatever it was it must have been something very bad. At least bad enough that she had ended up using what had remained of that War Beast life force-_what she hadn't used to seal, her wounds_\- so there was nothing left, nothing to infuse into her Magic container and nothing to inject into the Robe's abilities. So, she just had to make sure that she wouldn't recklessly use it's protection and only restore to it, when she really needed it.

This wasn't bad, she'd been in situations more dire than this and she had managed to overcome them.

The white haired woman smirked her eyes opening once again and falling on their two opponents, it seemed that they were waiting for them to make the first move. A smart tactic and one that would allow them, some insight in their abilities, though this tactic could also work in their favor. Those two didn't know Lucy -_her abilities and strengths_\- and they had never seen her use, Yonbi. This was after only her second time, using this form.

So, it could work.

Lisanna's smirk widened lifting the single white Tail up into the air and fanning it out, revealing that it wasn't _one_ but actually _four_ Tails she'd pulled so close together that it had only seemed like it was one.

This was bad.

She could sense it, she could feel how close she was in actually getting back home. And all she had to do was get pass these two, find her Star Ball and reclaim it. "What was it, again? Ah...I am all fired, up." Lisanna said drawing a smile from the blond woman, the blue flames that hadn't been used in her initial spell flared, brightening up and fully illuminating the cave like space and covering the four Mages in its eerie blue light. "...Scorch... "

.

.

.

Blue flames danced between the cracks on the ground.

The white haired woman sighed releasing her hold on her opponent, allowing his body to drop on the ground. "I can't believe, that he pushed me to use it." Lisanna stepped away from the unconscious male and gave the space they were occupying a quick once over, her eyes narrowed when she couldn't find anything that could tell her where they were."Flare." The light blue flame like orbs that were still hovering in the air, lightened up fully brightening the cave like space. "Huh..." Lisanna's eyes swept over the expanses of the chasm as she tried to remember where exactly they were, before they had taken the plunge and how to get back to the surface.

Golden eyes switched to the ground when they couldn't find anything on eye-level, Lisanna sharp eyes took every detail in and focused on anything that seemed to be out of place. She had been in this place long enough to know, that they tended to hide things in the most obvious of places and in ways one found to be too random. Lisanna's eyes moved over particular spot on the ground, before snapping back. "Huh, how utterly expected."

"...Regulus Lucy Kick..."

Lisanna shifted her gaze when she heard Lucy call out Leo's signature spell, her golden eyes caught the moment the blonds powerful kick hit home. It slammed down on the Shadow Mage's head with enough force to send the black haired male crashing into the ground. "The poor idiot, is going to really feel that in the morning." Lisanna mumbled before addressing Lucy, whom had landed on the ground in a crouch. "You, good to go?"

"You found a way out?" Lucy asked lifting herself back to her feet, before giving the illuminated space a quick once over. "It's not that I don't trust you, but I really don't see a way, out of here." She returned her gaze to Lisanna whom moved her hand, sending one of the floating fire balls down to the ground several feet in front of her. "Oh, that is actually quite smart." Lucy said referring to the carefully hidden hatch. "Let's go, then?"

The Take-Over Mage closed her eyes for a moment, once again checking her reserves and deciding that she could manage to have one more fight, before she was really out of magic. "Ah, let's go." Lisanna said already moving towards the carefully hidden hatch or better said; the hatch that _had_ been carefully hidden. Their opponents had forgotten to cover it after they had used it or they probably had expected to defeat them and hadn't seen the need to it.

Whatever the reason, it had secured their way out of this place.

Lisanna kneeled down before reaching towards the handle pulling it up, and throwing the hatch open to reveal the dark abyss lying beneath their feet. The white haired woman frowned hoping against all hopes, that this hatch would not lead them to where she thought it would lead them, those two were crazy but even they weren't so far gone that they would willingly pass through the Pits. Who was she kidding, this hatch would lead them to the Pits, because nothing ever went as one wanted. "We will be picking up the pace, tell me if I am going too fast. I tend to forget that everyone isn't as fast as I am. _Tell_ me, and I will slow down."

"Don't worry, I will keep up."

Lisanna decided to trust her words and reduce her speed if she sensed that Lucy was falling behind, she wasn't being arrogant when she said that she was fast. Lisanna had always been fast and quick on her feet, her old Animal Soul; _Obsidian Cheetah_ had been lighting fast and it should be, it was the fastest animal known in the world. But Lisanna had learned that _Kitsune Soul_ was even faster than that and it was obvious that a Demon could move faster than any mortal Animal, add to it, that she was currently in the _Four Tailed State_, which was the fastest of all Four Forms she could currently use and Lisanna could cover vast distances in mere minutes.

The two Fairies didn't hesitate before taking the leap, jumping down the hatch, both woman landing in a crouch, taking a moment to listen for any sounds that would indicate that there was someone else down here. It was only after they were certain that they were alone and that nothing but the sound of dripping water was filling the tunnel, that they both rose to their feet and set off in a run. The white haired woman whom had released the blue colored orbs was the one leading the journey down the tunnel, her blond haired friend following close behind.

It had been a good ten minutes since Lisanna had started to set the pace, slowing down twice when she realized that she was going too fast and it was during Lucy's third apology, that it had happened. Lisanna who had been somewhat at ease and had been enjoying the calm before the storm stopped so suddenly that she even ended up skidding for several feet, before coming to a complete stop. "There is something, in front of us."

"_Something_? Not, _someone_?"

Lisanna didn't reply instead she focused on the dark tunnel stretching in front of them, her golden eyes flickered to crimson red before returning back to their default color. "Remember when I said, that there were things here that were worse than those Death Hounds? Well, you're about to meet one." Lisanna closed her eyes taking a moment to center herself and focus all her Magic power in this fight, a fight that would be her last of the day.

After this one, she would be completely out Magic.

Lucy stepped up next to her friend and Guild Mate, facing the tunnel stretching out before them and waiting for whatever it was to come out and face them. "I can't hear nor see, a thing." Lucy said regretting her words the moment Lisanna moved her hand, sending a few of the blue colored orbs down the dark tunnel and revealing the being that was lying in wait. "What...In...Just _what_ is that?" Lucy asked sounding almost as scared as she sounded shocked, her brown eyes tried to place the thing staring at them, but try as she might, Lucy couldn't come up with an answer. "If I didn't know any better, I would say that it looks like a Chimera?"

"As expected of you."

The blond woman didn't know whether she should be amazed by the sheer 'talent' these scientist possessed or be disgusted by their utter disrespect of life and nature. Lucy had read enough books to have come across the origins of the Chimera, whether it was the mythical creature or the urban legend of a cult of Alchemists trying to create the ultimate Animal, by taking the best parts of various organisms and putting them together. She'd only come across one book detailing, a Scientist who'd managed to do just that but had been killed by his own creation. A creation that had ended up dying within three days of its birth. "Growling won't help, this time?"

"Sadly it will only challenge, him."

Lucy nodded following Lisanna's example and moving into a defensive position, she trusted the Take-Over Mage's judgment. If Lisanna thought it was better to wait this one out, than she would wait it out. Besides, she did not like the Magic that thing was emitting, though Lucy doubted that Magic would be the right word. Lucy's eyes narrowed taking the man made creature in, trying to place every single Animal she could recognize. So, far she had managed to distinguished it's head as that of an Eagle, it's middle was that of a Lion and its tail was a Snake and finally there were birdlike wings protruding from its side. "Why do I sense, different types of-"

The Chimera moved, lifting itself from the ground.

Both woman tensed preparing themselves for whatever it had planned for them, Lisanna slid her feet apart grounding herself on the rocky ground. The two Fairies stood their ground when the Chimera charged them, not moving out of the way of the attack until the last possible moment. From the angle it had been going, it was assumed that it had been aiming for Lisanna but it seemed that, that had been his motive as the move had been nothing more, than a diversion.

The Chimera's snake tail snapped out, slamming into Lucy and flinging the blond woman backwards with several feet.

Lisanna's eyes widened in both shock and worry, her gaze snapping in the direction Lucy was send in. "...Lucy..." Lisanna cried out for her friend and was in the process of moving towards her, when her attention which had been diverted towards her friend was forcefully drawn back, by the Chimera. "...Ah..." Lisanna gasped in pain when the Chimera expanded his wings and attacked her with them, Lisanna hissed slamming into the ground, rolling over three times before coming to a stop.

The Chimera growled in satisfaction.

Lisanna cursed pushing herself back to her knees and trying to get some of her bearings back, the white haired woman groaned. "That was painful...It was painful..." She sighed closing her eyes and trying to hold on to the Transformation, she could feel the Robe's defenses weaken. "...This is bad, I don't have enough Magic, left..."

The Celestial Spirit Mage who had been send flying backwards managed to flip herself mid air and land on her knees on the ground, her gaze moved towards Lisanna who was kneeling several feet away from her. "Lisanna? You alright?" Lucy asked sounding awfully worried, she could still recall that Lisanna had told her that she didn't have enough Magic to pull out another Take-Over. If that was the case, it meant that she was working with the last of her reserves. "How are you, holding up?"

Lisanna lifted her gaze smiling, the gesture was meant to be reassuring and though she seemed to have trouble hiding the pain she was feeling, Lisanna managed to at least ease Lucy's biggest concern. She was still responsive and she could still defend herself, Lisanna pushed herself up in a crouch. "And what about, you? You, okay?"

The blond nodded lifting herself back to her feet, Lucy's brown eyes moved away from Lisanna when she heard the Chimera growl again-this time in anger. The Celestial Spirit Mage frowned answering Lisanna's question. "I am fine." She moved her legs stepping into a more defense stand, Lucy's eyes narrowed when she realized that the Chimera had turned its back on Lisanna and that he was currently facing her, all his attention seemed to be fixed on the blond haired woman. "I don't like this"

This was odd.

Why, did it seem like it was aiming, for her? Lucy didn't think it was because it saw her as a threat nor did she think, that it was because it considered her the weakest link. So, why did it turn its back to Lisanna-whom was closer to him, than Lucy was. Did it think, that Lisanna was to wounded and to weak, to be a challenge? No, Lucy didn't know much about how animals thought, but what she did know was that they tended to go after the weakest Link and currently, Lisanna was in a worse shape.

So, why did it aim for her as opposed to going after Lisanna?

Not, that Lucy wanted that to happen. She would rather face everything in this place and die, than allow Lisanna to go through one more painful thing. it was just that it did not make sense, no sense what so ever. "I've a very bad feeling about this-" Lucy's brown eyes widened when the Chimera pawed the ground, reading himself to charge her.

Lisanna who still trying to get some semblance of control, lifted her gaze when she realized that nothing was coming at her. It took her a little over twenty seconds to realize what was going on, Lisanna's golden eyes widened cursing Ackerman to hell and back. That man...That man, had ordered them to Kill everyone..._But_, Lisanna.

The Chimera, kicked off the ground charging the blond woman.

"Lucy, move and get out of here." Lisanna cried out kicking off the ground and charging the Chimera who'd been planning to attack the blond woman. "_Kitsune-Bi; Daini No Jumon_..." The white haired woman called out jumping into the air, ignoring the Fox warning her against using the second stage of that spell in her current condition.

The Chimera turned around when he heard her voice, preparing himself to move out of the range of the attack.

Lisanna's golden eyes flickered momentarily to red, then to blue before once again settling on the Kitsune State's default color. Lisanna charged the blue colored spell, changing its properties and revealing an aspect of the Fox that they had kept hidden. Her ability to draw on more than one element, Lisanna knew that she had to kill it and kill it fast. That Chimera could not and would not leave this tunnel alive, there was no way she was letting anyone find out about the Fox's true identity.

An identity, Lisanna had found out by accident.

The white haired woman forced her Fox fire to switch from blue colored flames to black colored energy, successfully changing the properties from Fire Element to that of Void. Lisanna moved her hands fully planning to send it down towards the Chimera when Lucy called out to her, to look out. "What.." Lisanna started only to be cut by a piercing beam of light that cut into her back, and exited out her chest. "...Not...Good...Losing..."

"..._**Lisanna**_..."

The Take-Over Mage fell backwards her golden eyes falling on Lucy, finding the blond running towards her with tears streaming down her face. How, odd. Why, was it that she was crying? What could make her cry, like that? Why, did she look so worried? Didn't she know? Didn't Lucy realize that she had become a Monster? One that was very hard to kill? That she would just heal all these wounds? Didn't Lucy realize that when Rin had told them that a Demon Fox was placed in her body, that she was slowly but surely mastering and absorbing aspects of the Immortal Fox? That she would soon, cease to be Lisanna and that she was becoming the Fox.

Lisanna's lips parted on a apology before golden eyes fluttered closed, as the Take-Over Mage allowed herself to give into darkness obscuring her vision.

It was as she was falling deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, that Lisanna was taken over by a single memory. It was an event that had happened weeks, maybe a month or two after she had became the Host of the Immortal Fox and it was a memory that showcased just how much of a monster she had become.

The memory took her back in time and back to the day that she had realized that she wasn't Lisanna Strauss anymore, back to the day that the Immortal Fox had managed to not only taint her values and believes, but had also managed to soil her Soul-_one that was slowly being erased_\- And Lisanna wondered why she was remembering this, why would she recall that horrible day? The day that Lisanna was slowly becoming something, she didn't want to be?

She could feel herself go back in time, return to that horrible day.

And as more and more aspects of that memory started to seep into her, Lisanna started to realize something. She couldn't help but feel that there was another, reason. That maybe this memory didn't show itself to remind her off the things she had been expecting, that its purpose wasn't to remind her off the fact that she had been right in thinking that the Fox would end up owning her body.

Lisanna started to realize that this memory was meant to remind her of something, something other than Ackerman being right, in believing that Lisanna wasn't strong enough to hold on to her Soul. No, Lisanna understood the reason for remembering this particular day. Understood that this memory didn't show itself to remind her off the Monster she became.

It showed itself to remind her of something she forget.

* * *

_Date/Place; June X794, Island of Zorro._

_Location; Maximus Coliseum._

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.

The brown haired male cried out in pain.

Lisanna Strauss leaped back in order to evade his next attack, but it was already too late. The man known as Venom in the battle ring, had already moved his hand sending his deadly Magic in the form of a stream of acid. The poisonous liquid already dissolving her clothes and starting to eat away at her flesh. The white haired woman's mouth opened on a pained gasp, Lisanna forced herself to bear it and ignore the pain coursing through her system. But it was proving itself to be a near impossible task, Lisanna could feel it. _Feel_ the bubbling acid eat through her skin, through her flesh and muscles, feel how it was eating its way down towards her bones.

It was as she was planning to put some distance between herself and her opponent, that Lisanna felt the slight sting.

A jagged sword dug its way through her back and was currently buried deep in her stomach, the woman standing behind her chuckled darkly. "Try to survive this, you fucking demon." She whispered moments before jamming a needle in her neck and injecting her with something. "I am sure that you didn't notice it due to the pain, but my sword is coated in Basilisk Poison and that needle? That needle contained Curare, bye bye little Fox."

Blue eyes widened in shock, wondering how she had managed to get her hands on either poison.

It didn't take long for Lisanna to feel the effects of the double poisoning, Lisanna could feel how the curare was starting to effect her and as expected of that particular poison, its effects were almost immediately. While it was true that her muscles were slowly losing their strength and that the Curare was effectively pushing her towards a complete paralyzes, it wasn't that poison that was causing her the most torment. _That_ price went to the Basilisk poison currently invading her system. The vicious and acid like poison of the Basilisk was burning through her muscles and entering the rest of her body, Lisanna's mouth opened on an ear piercing scream.

The torment filled sound ripped through the air and filled her teammates with a sense of fear and worry.

_...It hurts..._

Lisanna felt as if her body was on fire, and in a sense it was. The poisonous acid was eating through the flesh, muscles and finally it was eating away through her stomach. The pain was unbearable, Lisanna could feel how everything was burning away and how even her blood seemed to be boiling in response to the deadly poison entering her system. Lisanna convulsed nearly buckling over, she wanted to throw up but Lisanna knew the danger that lay in that small but needed action.

The acid would rise up and burn her throat, and Lisanna didn't really want to suffer anymore than she already was. She closed her eyes pushing the acid bile back down her throat, it was an action that didn't help the nauseating feeling, it only seemed to be make things worse, for her. Lisanna could feel the ripples of pain tear through her stomach, further increasing the need to empty the contents of her stomach on the ground.

_...Not...Good...I am losing, consciousness..._

Lisanna's head lulled a little giving into the pain and exhaustion, her blue eyes fell shut as she allowed the darkness to obscure her vision and drag her under. It was as she was falling deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, that Lisanna's mind was suddenly filled with thousands and thousands of words.

They all seemed to speaking at the same time and they all seemed to be in that old and ancient language that Fox tended to speak in. The Language the Fox's Spells and Techniques used. It was an Language long dead and buried under the sands of time. A Language people had forgotten. Lisanna who had decided to focus on those words as opposed to the pain dulling her senses, tried to take them all one by one and see which words she could translate...On the words that the Immortal Fox would _allow_ her to translate...There were a lot...To many to tell apart, but she still tried and by focusing, Lisanna was able to translate a few of the words.

Numbers?

Yes...They were repeating the words _Number__**s**_..._Tails_..._Fox_..._Soul_...They were also talking about _Physical_ and _Spiritual_ _Tails_...It took Lisanna a moment to go through all those words and discard the hundreds of dozens she didn't know and it might have been because the poisonous acid was working its way through her system, that it took Lisanna that long to figure out what the Fox's Instincts were telling her.

She didn't do it.

Lisanna hadn't extracted the Fox's powers in the correct way, it seemed that she was merely in a in-between state. There seemed to be major difference between extracting the powers of the Tails and using that to utilize the Fox's powers -_Her current state_\- and actually extracting said Tails.

From what Lisanna could gather, she couldn't just extract the Fox's powers but actually extract the Physical Tail and become the Fox. Or better said she would be able to enter a State called her _Half Way Sate_, a form that stood between her _True Form_ and her _Human Form_. The Immortal Fox had a Human Form? Lisanna wondered trying to make sense of it all, but she was just too tired. Too tired to search for the answers to that question and too tired to even find out how she could utilize that stage of the Fox powers. "...Huh...Why, do I feel so tired? I am so sleepy...So, very sleep...Just a little...Just a little nap-"

The rest of her sentence was lost as the young woman lost her consciousness, finally giving in to the pain and exhaustion.

It was as Lisanna lost the battle against the poison, that the voices filling her mind switched from simply whispering to downright screaming in her head. And together with the voices came a darkness, an need that went beyond the mortal woman and even the Fox sharing her body. This need wasn't tight to anything nor was it driven by anything other than instinct. It was a need that every single living thing should have, the need to live.

_**...Survive...Survive...You must survive...We must survive...We won't be put down my a mere mortal...Kill to live...Kill to survive...Kill...Kill...Kill that mortal...**_

They had changed.

Before they had been many and they had all sounded like Fox, but this time it was just one single voice and this one sounded different. Lisanna who was hovering somewhere between life and death, could tell that it wasn't the Fox. It sounded like her, it sounded a lot like her but at the same it also didn't. There was something else lurking under its depths. Unlike the Fox's voice which was civil and educated, this one was more feral.

Something was coming.

Lisanna could feel it, something was rising from the deepest part of her being and it was rising fast. Whatever it was, it wasn't the Fox and it wasn't her. Lisanna didn't know what it was, that was pulling her even further under, but even out like it as she was, she could tell that it was bad. She could hear the words. Even with her barely consciousness mind, Lisanna was able to translate a few words. Words that filled with her with dread.

_**...To survive is to kill...To kill is to survive...So, we must kill to survive...To live is to eat...To eat is to kill...So, we must kill to eat. Kill to survive, kill to eat...Eat to live...Eat to survive...We must survive...**_

The Take-Over Mage's eyes shot open.

Lisanna's blue eyes flashing to red -_a deep glowing blood almost ruby like color_\- her slit pupils were slightly dilated, something that indicated just how much pain she was in. Lisanna's sighed her mouth opening, her lips revealing the enlarged canines and it was as she lifted her hands that one could spot the claws protruding from her fingers. Lisanna's head which had slightly lulled lifted up, her red glowing eyes facing the brown haired male standing before her, watching her suffer as the poison of his comrade was seeping into her body. "...Kitsune...Bi..." Lisanna said aiming her hand towards him and uttering the only spell of the Fox she managed to learn.

The Spell wasn't strong but it did its job.

It had forced Venom to leap backwards and away from her, putting some needed distance between herself and him. Lisanna's lips lifted in a smirk when she heard the woman behind her call out his name, her red glowing eyes lifted to face the clear blue sky. "The last one standing...Let's see which one of us, will be the last one standing." Lisanna whispered before tilting her head sideways and facing the woman jamming her sword in her body. "Let's see...The Demon...Or the Human..." She grinned in such a way that the brown haired woman knew for a fact, that this wasn't the one she knew as _Hecate_. This was something different.

"Impossible, you should be already-" The rest of her sentence was lost when her captive moved her hands and placed them against her head, her eyes widened when she heard Hecate say that she was hungry and what she would do. "No." She gasped sensing something cold and something she could only describe as darkness enter her body, the woman known as Iron Maiden in the Death Games was certain that nothing was really entering her body, but she couldn't shake the sense that something was brushing against her mind, against her heart and moving through her veins. "Let me, go." She whispered sounding for the first time in a long time afraid.

..._** Noroi no Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu...**_

Those soft words filled her mind and with those words came knowledge, they wrapped themselves around her mind and filled her with the need to do what was needed. She needed to survive, to survive she needed to kill and she needed to eat, to eat she needed to kill. So, her already warped mind came to the conclusion that killing this woman and feeding on her, would allow her to achieve both of her objectives. "_Noroi No Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu..." _Lisanna said repeating the words that had filled her mind, that had showed her the way out of this predicament. "Hungry...Just so, hungry...Need to eat...Need to feed...You'll suffice.."

_**...Yes...Yes...Feed...Eat...Indulge...Take it all...To survive we must kill...To eat we must kill...So, this is the natural way of things...We must feed to survive...Feed to heal...Feed...Feed...Feed us...Feed me...**_

The woman known as Iron Maiden gasped for breath, she could feel the life seep out of her and realized that she was going to die. This monster clad in human skin, would end her life and it was as that realization hit her that she opened her mouth on a silent scream, her brown eyes begging for mercy...Begging someone to safe her from the clutches of this evil.

Lisanna's red eyes fluttered shut as she started to drain the woman of her very Life-Force and made it her own, it was amazing how she could feel the energy returning to her. The brown haired woman struggled trying to get away from Hecate knowing that if she wanted to survive, that she had to get away from this demon.

But Lisanna ignored her vain attempts to free herself and just kept her in place by strengthening the Iron tight grip, she had on her head. "Almost...Almost done." Lisanna said indulging in the strength and power that was floating into her body, the white haired woman could feel it all come back to her. "There, there little Human. We are almost done, I promise...Soon...Soon, you won't even feel yourself kicking the bucket."

_**...A little more...More...More...We need more...**_

Lisanna sighed in a pleasure, her expression morphing into a one of utter rapture. One of her hands moved away from Iron Maiden's face and moved towards the sword jamming into her body, the annoying thing was slowing her healing down, she needed to get rid of it. Lisanna grabbed a hold of the weapon and pulled it out of her body, before releasing it allowing the deadly weapon to fall on the ground. "Ah, much better." Lisanna said turning around and fully facing her food source of the day. "Ah, this is so much better." She said before she allowed her eyes to fall shut, her lips lifted in a smirk as she rested her head against the woman. "So, tasty...So, alive."

It was the fearful whimper of Iron Maiden that penetrated the fog enveloping her mind.

Lisanna's eyes opened a little meeting the fearful and weak gaze of Iron Maiden, it took Lisanna a few seconds to register why the other woman looked so scared. Lisanna's blue eyes widened in pure and unadulterated shock. "...What..." The white haired woman's hold loosened a little, her mind trying to process just what she had done. Just what had she been doing, to her? Why did she look, like she was dying? What did she do?

"...Please, let me go..."

The white haired woman released her hold on the other woman, her blue eyes trying to process what she was seeing. "This...Is...Not...What" Lisanna moved her hands to her head clutching it when the brunette collapsed on the ground. "...I...What have I been doing?" Lisanna whispered backing away from the other woman, just what was she doing to her? Did she really do this to her? She couldn't have done, this right?

Iron Maiden gasped for breath, trying to get some air back in to her lungs.

Lisanna's eyes softened filling with remorse, self-loathing and fear. "No...No...No...This is not what I wanted...Why did I do that? What was I exactly doing?" Lisanna asked no one in particular, not that anyone could hear the soft mumbled words, the white haired woman legs gave out from under her, she let out a choked sob landing on her hands and knees. "What was that? What in the world was I doing? Did I cast, something?"

... _Noroi No Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu..._

The words that flashed through her mind and for some reason, they sounded familiar. But as Lisanna tried to remember where she had heard them before, she noticed that they were starting to fade. The words seemed to retreating to the furthest regions of her mind. Lisanna reacted almost instinctively, her mind -_the part of her that was still hers alone_\- reached towards the words and took a mental hold over them. She didn't know why, but something in her told her to do that and to make those words her own, to wrap them around her mind. So, that was what she did and it was as she forced those words to open up, that she discovered it.

She didn't understand, how she did it.

But it seemed that she had managed to unlock a new ability of the Fox, Lisanna ignoring the commotion going on around her, concentrated and focused on those words. Once again opening her mind and allowing the words to fill her mind, fill it with knowledge. It had been the same when she had managed to unlock the ability known as Fox Fire and just like that time, Lisanna's mind automatically translated the words in that ancient language to one she could understand, this spell was different than Fox Fire.

It was a whole lot stronger and a lot darker.

No, that wasn't right. This wasn't a spell. It was a Curse. A weaker version of something else. Of what..._Nothing_. It seemed that she wasn't allowed to access that part of the Fox abilities and knowledge, she should have known. It wasn't like Lisanna had managed to control some of the Fox's immense power, because the Fox had given her that knowledge on a silver platter nor had she figured out how to utilize Fox Fire because the Fox had just allowed her access to that spell.

No, Lisanna had done it all on her own, by training for weeks and this battle was meant to see how she would fair in a real life and death situation.

_Now, what could this Curse do? _

Lisanna regretted asking that question, a mere two seconds later. It was as she translated those words, that Lisanna was hit by the meaning of them and the purpose of casting such a dark and evil curse. _The Curse of the Fox; Life force absorption. _This spell allowed the caster to remove the Life-Force -_Energy, vitality and health_\- of another and draw it into their own body, the absorbed energy could then be used in various ways. Such as but not limited to enhancing themselves, using it as an tool to heal oneself faster and even amplifying their own magic.

So, that was why she had been compelled to use it.

Lisanna couldn't believe she had been willing to go that far, for something as trivial as surviving. Lisanna had been willing to take the life of someone else, how could she have fallen so far? How was it possible that she had reached a point, in which she could enjoy the suffering and pain of someone else? Had been wallowing in the euphoria that had filled her, when she had been taking someone else's life and tried to made it her own.

_How could I do, something like that?_

The white haired woman closed her eyes in disgust, how could she just accept that feeling? How could she even bring herself to be alright with it? See the need of it and have the nerve to enjoy, it? Because, Lisanna had been enjoying draining the other woman of her life. She had liked the sheer power she had been gaining and she had enjoyed to watch her struggle against her, fight for her life. "Can a human, drain life." Lisanna asked.

No, they can't.

Lisanna gritted her teeth when that answer resonated with her, no a human could not drain the life of another and make it their own. At least they shouldn't be able to do that, if there was one that could drain the life of others and make it their own? Then, that person had lost all of what had made them human. Which meant only one thing, didn't? That she wasn't a Human, anymore. "Ackerman was right. I am dying...No, that isn't right. I am being erased. It's just a matter of time, before she will eat through my Soul." Lisanna was so consumed with her own dark thoughts, that she didn't notice that her teammates had managed to finally reach her.

"I told you to be careful, I don't recall giving you permission to sit, this one out."

The white haired woman lifted her head when those words penetrated the fog enveloping her mind, Lisanna's blue eyes met the cold and even gaze of the Lightning Devil Slayer. "...Saizo..." Lisanna mumbled his name sounding pained, scared and a little relieved to see him. "...Saizo..." Lisanna said again her eyes filling with tears, tears she didn't try to stop from falling. "I am scared...What is happening to me?" She asked softly wanting nothing more than to bury her face in his chest and hide from this world, take in the comfort and safety he always offered her. "I don't know what is happening to me, and I don't know what to do."

"The same as always, you will live."

Lisanna shook her head already picturing how far she would end up falling, if she allowed herself to breath another day. She had managed to stop herself, but what if she wouldn't be able to pull back? What if one day, she would end up attacking her friends? Ackerman had that Star Ball and from what she could gather, that thing allowed him to control her...Or control the Fox. Lisanna wasn't the Fox...At least she wasn't the Fox yet.

But one day, she would be.

There was no doubt about it, it was just that Lisanna had managed to keep her at bay. Lisanna wasn't physically the strongest person, but her mental and emotional state were powerful. They had to be, she wouldn't have been able to survive Edolas, if she wasn't capable of accepting whatever life threw at her. "That sounds like an awful, idea."

"And caring about you, like an headache inducing one. And yet, here we are." Saizo Kiryu said ignoring the word exchange between Vincent whom was listening to their conversation and Rin who had pulled up the ground and was currently using it as a shield to guard them. Instead he focused on the young woman kneeled before him, his words were cold and sounded harsh but they did manage to draw a small smile from Lisanna.

"That was cruel, you shouldn't say that to a woman. If you continue on like that, you will never be able to get a woman to like you."

Saizo tilted his head regarding her for a moment, before replying to her words. "Let's put aside the fact, that any woman that can't accept me as I am, is already not worth a second of my time. And let's focus, on the fact that with the amount of time, I spend with you. I won't be able to give any other woman the time of day- _I don't think, that she would be alright with all the attention I give you-_, you are annoying, stubborn and lack a brain. Which is something that forces me to become both your brains and self preservation. While at the same time, functioning as your selfishness."

"I...Is that supposed to be a compliment? An insult? An odd combination of both?" Lisanna asked sounding a little upset and feeling guilty that she was already starting to feel a little better, her blue eyes moved towards Rin and the earthen wall she had pulled up. The other woman, the one who Lisanna had nearly killed was located on the other side and Lisanna didn't know whether she was still alive or not. She had managed to stop herself, but sadly she had been unable to stop before she had stolen a chunk of her life. "Ackerman was wrong...I was not ready..._Am_ still not ready and I will probably never be ready...She is winning, Saizo..."

"I fail to see the problem, the Demon is winning and that means that you will lose?"

Lisanna frowned trying to find the meaning behind his words, but for the first time since she had known him, Lisanna was at a loss. "Euhm, if she wins than I automatically, lose." Lisanna said drawing a exasperated frown from the dark haired male. "What? Am I missing, something?"

"She is winning, that means she hasn't won, _yet_. Instead of worrying about, the head start she has, why won't you think, about how you can turn this situation to your advantage?" Saizo said his eyes moving towards Vincent and gesturing with his head to deal with the ones trying to breach, Rin's defense. "Aren't you a Mage of Fairy Tail? The Guild that doesn't know the meaning of giving up? The one that always comes out, on top? Are you really willing to turn your back, on all that Guild taught, you? Or were all those stories, you shared, a lie?"

"That is unfair-"

Saizo kneeled down lifting her chin up and forcing her to face him, his green eyes narrowed and for once showed an emotion other than boredom in his eyes. He was angry, enraged even. "You know what is unfair? You, giving up on life. You being so damn selfish, that you are not even considering how your team, might feel. Do you really think, we enjoy watching you break down like this? Enjoy seeing you start to hate, yourself?"

"Then what am I supposed to, do? I nearly killed her, I was absorbing her life and I was enjoying it. All because, something in me screamed to survive? Because, absorbing her life would allow me to regain the vitality, I needed." Lisanna snapped sounding lost and more than that afraid, her blue eyes filled with a self loathing. "And if that is not enough, I just found out that I haven't managed to extract the Fox powers right, I can't control her...I can't keep her at bay and I can't beat her...I am weaker than she is and-"

Saizo sighed softly his hand moving to cup her cheek, gently brushing his thumb against the soft skin. "Why, are you trying to be someone you aren't?" He smiled when she frowned in confusion. "Why do you want to beat, her? Why do you wish to keep her at bay? Why do you want to control, her? Why are you trying to be like me? Vincent and Rin? Why, won't you be yourself when you deal with this? Why, won't you be Lisanna?"

"...Huh..."

The dark haired male leaned towards her, resting his forehead against her. "You are the strongest person, I know. You are warm, bright and kind. Never, ever forget that. You are a better, person than we are. So, never ever try to be like us." He pulled back sending her a rare grin before lifting himself up to his feet and turning around, making his way towards Rin who was starting to have trouble with keeping her wall up. "And Lisanna? If you need to absorb life to survive, than you should do it. Remember, that there is life all around you. You really don't need to take it from someone who falls under the same species, as you."

* * *

_Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro._

_Location; Unknown, somewhere under the Facility._

.

.

_"Why, are you trying to be someone you aren't? Why do you want to beat, her? Why do you wish to keep her at bay? Why do you want to control, her? Why are you trying to be like me? Vincent and Rin? Why, won't you be yourself when you deal with this? Why, won't you be Lisanna?"_

Ah.

She could remember it, Lisanna could recall that day so vividly now. Not as the day that she realized that she was becoming something else, but as the day she had earned the Fox's reluctant trust. It had taken Lisanna a while to find the meaning behind Saizo's words, but she had managed to do it. And it was then that she had realized something, that she hadn't approached the situation with the Fox as herself. Lisanna had up until that point in time, viewed the Fox as an intruder, as someone she had to keep at bay and nothing more than, an enemy.

Saizo had been right, Lisanna had forgotten or more Lisanna had been _unwilling_ to view it from the Fox's stand point. How she would have felt of being pushed in a different body, every time she ended up eating through one's soul. That she wasn't the only one who was suffering through this, it wasn't just Lisanna's life who was turned upside down and inside-out. The Fox was someone who had to go through, the same amount of pain, the same amount of suffering, as Lisanna.

Lisanna's eyelids fluttered, a little.

It was on that day that the Take-Over Mage had finally managed to extract the Fox's Physical Tails for the first time, it was on that day that the two woman had managed to come to an agreement. It was on that day, that Lisanna had struck a deal with the Fox. Lisanna would borrow the Fox's powers and the Fox would keep residing in her body, not as a parasite nor as an intruder. But the Fox would reside in this body, like she belonged.

They would _both_ own, this body and they would _both_ decide what happened, to it.

Lisanna wouldn't do anything without her full consent and the Fox would give her the same courtesy, it was a dangerous bargain but the Fox had been willing to listen. All she wanted to know, was what she would have gotten in return, considering that she would eventually eat through Lisanna's Soul and possess this body, it was just a matter of time. What she had offered was the only thing she could, something none of the Ancient Fox's previous Hosts had offered her and the only thing, Lisanna considered to be more valuable than power and riches.

She had offered her, her friendship and full acceptance.

It had been an offer that had drawn three distinctive reactions from the Fox; Shock at the words she had uttered, laughter at the sheer ridiculousness off her offer and finally, something close to relief and the comment that there were still humans who were capable of such insane and stupid ideas. Lisanna didn't know why she had accepted her offer, but the Fox had and she had allowed her access to her powers. Though it had come with a catch and that was that the Fox would with-hold anything she deemed her not ready for, not worthy off and simply wasn't any of her damn business.

Lisanna at that time hadn't cared -_and she still didn't care_\- all Lisanna had cared about was, having the strength to protect herself and not to be a liability. As long as Lisanna had the power to stand by her friends and not hide behind them, Lisanna hadn't cared how much she would be burned, in the end. Releasing so many of her Animal Souls, had made her weak and a Mage without access to her trademark Magic. So, Lisanna had made that deal, knowing that the Fox could decide that she wasn't allowed to use a spell in the middle of a battle.

She had accepted that clause, and Lisanna had yet to regret it.

That deal had allowed her to protect herself and to not stand in the way of her teammates, it had allowed her to take care of herself and it had allowed her to take some of the worries that plagued her teammates away. In the months following that conversation, Lisanna had managed to extract Four Physical Tails and two more abilities of the Fox; _Noroi no Kitsune_ and _Tsuki No Mai_. Those Tails and spells had allowed her stand on her own two legs, it had allowed her to get some of her self worth back.

But most of all, it had taken some of her guilt away.

The same guilt that had filled her when she realized that she was leaving Lucy to deal with their current situation. Lisanna knew that Lucy could take care of herself, it was just that she didn't like the idea of leaving Lucy to deal with multiple opponents and protect her motionless body. But what could she do? Lisanna had reached the limit of her Magic, her Take-Over was flickering and was just moments away from dissolving completely.

**...Feed...**

The voice ringing in her mind was right, Lisanna really needed to feed but she didn't want to. As much as she had accepted the Fox as part of herself, Lisanna had never been willing to accept that part of herself. The part of her that was always hungry, Lisanna had noticed that normal food wasn't nearly enough to sustain her -_not that she got any decent meals, here_\- it didn't matter if Saizo tended to give her his share, it didn't matter that Rin and Vincent tended to steal more for her, Lisanna was always hungry.

She knew what she needed, the voice in her mind had _told_ her what she needed. But Lisanna had never accepted it, she had simply refused to follow the same diet off the Fox. Lisanna knew that the day, that she would accept that part of her, would be the day that she truly died and seized to be the woman known as Lisanna Strauss.

But now came the question, who was Lisanna Strauss?

The girl that had lost her parents at such a young age? The one who had decided to never cry in sadness or fear, because she was afraid to trouble her siblings? Or was she the one who joined Fairy Tail? The one who befriended Natsu and hatched Happy's egg? The one was taken to Edolas? Or the one that came back? The one who was abducted by a evil Cult? Or the woman who came out on the other side? What was it that made her Lisanna Strauss, exactly?

It was as that question, flashed through her mind that she recalled part of a conversation, she had nearly forgotten. One she had buried away, due to the events that had let to that moment in time.

_"Lisanna is Lisanna, that is all she is and she is nothing more and nothing less. Whether she has two heads, six arms or has a Fox, Bear or the Devil himself sealed in her body. Lisanna is Lisanna, that is just it." The dark haired male said washing the blood -_his blood_\- from under her nails. "Your parents named you Lisanna, they didn't name you Human. So, that is secondary to whom you're. Being, Human doesn't mean being Lisanna."_

Golden eyes fluttered, once again.

Lisanna couldn't help but smile softly, her expression changing from that of pain to one that looked at peace and content. Just what would she do, without him? Lisanna wondered, realizing not for the first time that Saizo had been the main reason she'd managed to hold on for so long. To him it didn't matter how she appeared, or what she did or even became as long as she was herself and was happy, Saizo would accept her as she was.

It was about time that she did the same.

The white haired woman lips parted on a sigh, it _really_ was time that she accepted every single part of herself and that included the part that needed Life Force to life. It was time that she stopped being so selfish and did what was needed. It was about time that she did something back for the Fox that had always protected her, Lisanna's mind reached out towards the Fox residing in her body. _"Forgive me...I will be better...I promise I'll."_

_**...What exactly are you, planning to do...**_

Lisanna felt the Fox's question, more than she heard it and she took a moment to answer it. "_Something that I should have done, a long time ago_..." Something that was long overdue, Lisanna couldn't afford to go down here. And she refused to let Lucy deal, with her problems. This was Lisanna's mess and Lisanna had to clean it up herself or at the very least, contribute in some way or another. There was no way, she was willing to let everyone else deal with it, while she sat this out. But, was she really willing to kill a Human, just to survive? To secure the safety, of her family and friends? No, the real question was, would she do it and was it worth it.

The Fox sharing her body, didn't reply, to that question.

Instead she reached towards Lisanna's consciousness and pulled the Mortal Woman under, taking her back to the day that she had accepted the Fox as part of herself. It was as the Fox filled her mind with the events that had happened that day, that Lisanna realized that it had been her that had forced her to recall that day, in the first place. Lisanna felt that her friend and roommate was searching for something and it wasn't until the first words filled her mind, that Lisanna realized what the Fox was trying to tell her. Or more what she had been looking for, Lisanna's mind's eye projected the fragment of a memory.

A memory that filled her with a sense of purpose, one that gave her an Iron-clad determination.

_"And Lisanna? If you need to absorb life to survive, than you should do it. Remember, that there is life all around you. You really don't need to take it from someone who falls under the same species, as you."_

The white haired woman felt herself being pushed back to the surface of her conscious, could feel herself regain some semblance of control over her motionless body. Golden eyes opened, the hazy orbs gazed at the roof of the cavern-_A roof that seemed to be getting further and further away_\- it took her a few moments to realize that gravity was pulling her down to earth. "Thank you, Saizo. I forgot, it won't happen again." Lisanna mumbled shifting her body tossing herself into an cartwheel, twisting mid air and landing on her hands and knees on the rocky ground. "Noroi No Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu_._" Lisanna said sending the curse into the living ground.

This was the first time, she casted this curse with the full intention to use it.

Lisanna could feel the difference between the previous times and this moment, it should have been something to expect. Lisanna was a Mage and she more than anyone else, should know that the Heart -_Emotions_\- tended to empower ones Magic. The more determined you were, the more feelings you put in your spells, the stronger they became. And that was what was happening right now, Lisanna had never casted this curse while she was present of mind let alone, use it with her heart behind it.

Something she was doing, right now.

Lisanna closed her eyes feeling the life of the earth under her feet, seep into in her. If she had to survive by taking life, than she would rather do it like this and while she didn't like destroying nature, Lisanna knew that she didn't have a choice. If this what she had to do to keep her friends safe than she would, if she had to become a monster to ensure their lives, than Lisanna would become the vilest creature this earth had ever seen.

The Immortal Fox's response to Lisanna's determination, was a heart-filled laugh.

Something deep inside Lisanna clicked open, as the Fox rose from her resting place and moved towards the Silver Gates sealing her in. "_**If you are that determined, then I will lend you a hand.**_" The Fox's single tail lifted itself up into the air, splitting in four before they fanned out behind the Silver Fox. "_**Lisanna Strauss...My Host and My friend... Mortal that I have accepted, I grant thee access to my Fifth Tail. Use it wisely, little one."**_

..._You_...

The thought was barely formed or Lisanna felt the Fox's Magic spike, her mind's eye catching the moment the Fox snapped out her Fifth Tail. The Silver Tail expanded behind the Fox, growing in size before joining the Four already fanned out behind the Fox and it was only then, that Lisanna felt it. _Felt_ the magic seep into her veins, into her nerves and seep into her Magic Container. "_Soul Morph." _Lisanna mentally said the words to the spell that would allow her to morph the _'Spirit'_ to her own Soul and she could feel it. _Feel_ herself reach out towards the Foreign entity and draw it in, wrap herself around it and slowly but surely absorb it into herself.

Lisanna could sense the Fragment of the Fox's soul, resist her pull.

It was something to be expected nothing wanted to be absorbed into something else, Lisanna knew that and it was why she always approached it differently. Instead of simply submitting the other Soul to her own will, Lisanna would open herself up and try to get to know the entity she was taking in and she would make a 'deal' or adjust something in herself to accommodate to the Spirit she was taking in. There was a reason why it was said that one could only Take-Over the beings that they truly understood.

A good Take-Over Mage, was one who understood and accepted each and every single Soul as their own person and not see them as a means to an end, as a weapon or worse as a servant subjected to you. When one thought like that, the Souls they took in would rebel and they could turn against you, _Take You Over_ and in the worst case scenario they could even burn your soul out. Exhaust you to such extremes that you would die.

Which made respect one of the Key's to being a successful Take-Over Mage, the other two being a strong will and emotional stability. Three things people often discarded in favor for a Higher Magical Aptitude and a strong physical body, while the last two were important they weren't the most important tools, that one needed to master the dangerous Magic Branch, known as _Take-Over_.

That honor went to a strong will, emotional stability and respect.

One needed to have a strong will and determination, to be capable of defeating and submitting the 'invading' spirit; If you lacked the mental strength or were to easily swayed by emotions, the foreign spirit would just end up consuming you and become the dominate Soul in this body. And even if you manage to submit the Spirit, but ended up treating it badly like it was some sort of tool as opposed to an extension of yourself, you would end up with a honest to god Mutiny in your own body.

Following the advice her partner had given her, Lisanna stayed true to herself and that was why she did, what she always had done. She accepted the Fox's Soul Fragment exactly as it was, Lisanna showed it that she wasn't attempting to change it nor was she going to judge it. Lisanna opened her mind, allowing the Spirit to access and it was as the Spirit of the Fox's Fifth Tail was attaching itself to her own soul, that Lisanna noticed it. She hadn't been imagining it, each and every single one of the Fox's Tails seemed to be their own separate person, having their own quirks and tempers, if that even made sense. "_I share my body, with a strange one."_

_**"Kettle? I would like to introduce myself, I am Pot and I want to share a secret with you, we are both black."**_

Lisanna could feel herself smile at those words, allowing herself this private moment with her friend before she would shift her attention outward and onto the world around her. Moments like these could feel like they had taken hours, but they tended to always be less than a minute as everything moved with the speed of thoughts, but without the time needed to set any action in motion. Lisanna sighed before drawing herself up to the surface of her consciousness.

Sound, was the first thing Lisanna registered while sense of smell and touch were both the second and third thing.

Lisanna took a deep breath anchoring herself and asking her friend whether she was ready to teach them the dangers of pissing a Kitsune off. Lisanna's lips lifted in a smile when the Fox responded with that she had been born for nothing _but_ that purpose. _"...Very well, then..._" Lisanna's eyes fluttered open flashing to red and glowing eerily in the dark, her lips widening into a smirk. "Kitsune Soul; _Gobi No Kitsune._" Lisanna said seconds before a bright light flashed covering her body and hiding her from her view, it took mere moments before the lights dimmed and revealed the kneeling woman in her newest form. "...Fifth Tail, released..."

"_**This is the first time you have entered and are using this State on your own. I am not the one currently in charge nor are you pushed into this state by the Star Ball."**_ The Fox said retreating back into her own mind space, sealing the Gates behind her, the ancient and immortal being lied down, resting her head on her forelegs. _**"You unlike me, need to earn the abilities and attributes a Kitsune gets with the release of a New Tail." **_

The white haired woman pushed herself of the ground, lifting herself from her kneeling position. Lisanna really didn't need the Fox to remind her off that little fact, she was well aware of it. Whether the Fox would allow her access or not, Lisanna had to prove she was worthy of unlocking the Tails on her own. It was something she shared with all Kitsune -_excluding the one sharing her body_\- Something she was for as long as she used the Fox's Tails as a Take-Over, which meant that the ancient rules applied to her as well. Which meant that, Lisanna had to earn her Tails, proof that she was capable of mastering it's abilities. _"This is going to be a long, day."_

**"**_**Don't be so glum, I for one have the utmost faith in you. And besides, you aren't facing them, alone." **_

Lisanna's ruby colored orbs flickered back into a golden hue with slit pupils, as the last traces of the Fox being on the surface of her consciousness disappeared. It was the truth in that statement that eased her nerves, she was right. No matter what would happen to her, no matter what she would end up facing and wherever she would wash up, Lisanna wouldn't be facing it alone not as long as she was here. She was never truly alone. "_...Thank you, Setsura..."_

No matter what happened, Lisanna and the Fox were in this together.

* * *

A/N: And this is a wrap ladies and gentleman, I know this chapter was mostly a Flashback and some self reflection, but they were both needed to get the plot moving on. We can't have Lisanna think like she is a monster all the time, as she needed to accept herself as she was, sooner or later. Of course, this is merely a step and whether Lisanna can continue on this train of thought or not, depends on what still lays ahead of her. The next chapter will be up to schedule, so either once or twice every month.

I hope you all enjoyed, the chapter and do tell me what you thought about it. It's a long one, so I hope you all don't mind. The chapters following this one will vary in length, so either shorter than this one or brace yourself twice as long as our current chapter. The Island Arc is almost over, though I have deviated from my original goal of ending this Arc in the next two chapters. There is still a lot, I need to work in and I don't want to end this Arc without resolving it all.

Well that was it, for this chapter and hopefully I will see you all in the next installment.


End file.
